When it comes to grilling, what’s easier than having the main course individually-wrapped and fire-ready? Our southwest chicken foil packet not only seals in that delicious flavor we all love but also makes it so darn convenient to serve and eat!
Heavy-duty foil’s definitely the way to go with this recipe. Regular foil tears much too easily and you don’t want to loose a morsel of this awesome meal.
Not everyone enjoys the same level of spice so making it in packets allows for adjustments to the taco seasoning and salsa.
If your barbecue gets rained out, don’t worry! You can easily pop the packets in the oven on a baking sheet. Either way, just be careful when opening the packets after cooking—you don’t want to get burned by the steam.
Southwest Chicken Foil Packet Recipe
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen or canned
- 1 cup salsa, fresh, hot or medium or mild, drained of excess moisture
- 1 14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 heavy-duty aluminum foil, 18" x 12" long sheets
- 4 sprigs cilantro
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 4 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded
- 4 lime wedges
- Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat or preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together corn, salsa and beans until evenly combined.
- Place four 18" x 12" pieces of heavy foil on counter and spray each with cooking spray. Divide the veggie mixture evenly among the packets and place one cilantro sprig on top.
- Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper and approximately 1 tsp taco seasoning per breast. Place seasoned chicken on top of veggies.
- Fold long sides of foil up and over chicken and bring edges together. Roll the foil together, moving downward until 1"–2" from top of chicken. Fold both short ends together to seal the packet, but make sure to leave enough space inside the packet for steam expansion.
- Place packets directly on grill or on a baking sheet in the oven. Grill 15–20 minutes or bake 30–35 minutes in the oven, until the center is no longer pink. Cooking times may vary depending upon thickness of chicken breasts.
- Remove from grill or oven and carefully open packets to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle an equal amount of cheese on top of each piece of chicken, close foil and allow it to sit 2 minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing and enjoy!
If you’re out of heavy-duty foil you can simply double-up sheets of regular foil.
