My cooking preferences and tastes vary far and wide. There are certainly days when I enjoy creating a 5-course meal from scratch! And then there are other days when I don’t want to stoop to the health level of a drive-thru…but I don’t have a ton of time to work in the kitchen on dinner! For days like that, Foil-Pack Chicken was created!
I honestly don’t remember where this recipe came from! But I’ve modified so much about it that I think I’m pretty safe to call it my own at this point..so we’ll leave it at that.
What you need:
Tin foil Cooking spray Boxed stuffing (I use chicken flavor, and one box splits well among 4 chicken breasts)
Water
Chicken breasts (one per serving)
Frozen broccoli florets (enough for a handful to go along with each chicken breast)
Ranch dressing
Shredded cheddar cheese
Bacon bits
How to prepare:
Pull one sheet of foil for each serving (approximately 1.5 feet long) Spray each sheet with cooking spray. (You could also put a bit of olive oil or a pat of butter there. The purpose of this is to make sure the stuffing doesn’t stick to the foil, so whatever non-stick method you use will work!) Stir together the stuffing mix with about 1 to 1 1/4 cup water and let it sit until the water absorbs. Split the mixture into four parts and spoon it out on top of each non-stick area. Place chicken breast on top of stuffing mixture, then a handful of frozen broccoli florets, then a handful of shredded cheddar. Drizzle ranch dressing on top of the “mound” you’ve created, then sprinkle bacon bits on top of that. It should look like this:
I love that it’s so colorful! Do you know it’s good for you to eat COLORFUL food? It is! Wrap each foil packet up, and try to leave room at the top of the packet for hot air to invade. See?
Then cookie-tray up all the packets you’ve created (again, one for each serving you would like to offer)…
And pop them in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes. I love that the only thing I’ve gotten dirty (as far as dishes, at this point) is a bowl for stuffing and water, a measuring cup for the water and a utensil to stir the mixture with! So no, I don’t have to use a lot of time to clean up after dinner, either! And, after 45 minutes…
Voila! At this point, cut into the middle of the chicken and make sure it’s cooked. Sometimes it’s not quite all the way done yet and might need a few more minutes. It’s best to figure that out before you dump it out of the foil, right?!
And here’s the finished product!
You’ve got your bread (stuffing), your protein (chicken), your veggies (broccoli), your dairy (Ranch dressing) and your fat (bacon bits). All you need is to serve it up with some fruit for dessert, and you’ve hit all the parts of the food pyramid! It’s a fantastic dinner – perfect for a busy night or for your family member in charge of dinner who doesn’t really cook! Not to mention the fact that you could probably change it up a bit – substituting a different meat, veggie, etc. Easy prep, almost no clean-up…still better than the drive-thru!
So whatcha think? Will you give Foil-Pack Chicken a try? What would you change about it?
Oh my, that looks DELICIOUS. It seems like it’s easy to make, too, which is totally my thang!!
Yes, very easy to make!
Looks really yummy! I bet it would be good cooked on the grill too! Pinning!
Oh yes, I’m sure you could grill it with no problem!
Oh that looks easy-peasy. I like that. Funnily enough I have a couple of chicken breasts defrosting at the moment that I don’t know what to do with…
Ah! Well, let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I am trying this because I have a huge bag of broccoli that I desperately need to get rid of and the raw broccoli is not cutting it! I may try on the grill.
Yes, I think it would definitely work on the grill, too!
I love quick and easy meals like this. I am going to try this.
I hope you enjoy it, Cyndie!
This looks gorgeous!
Thanks, Sophie! Colorful eating is healthy eating!
That looks so good, I always forget about cooking in foil. I know it is usually easier for clean up and yet I forget. I will have to try this, this is even something my boys would eat.
Yes, it is SUPER easy to clean up! You can tell I’m a fan LOL
Awesome! I’m making this!
I hope you enjoy it, Monica!
Oh, this looks really good! I am always looking for new ways to prepare chicken for my family. This looks like it would be a hit.
I think so! It’s a fave at our house!
My favorite thing about this kind of recipe is that there is no mess. I love no dishes, or very few of them. 🙂
Me too, Rosey!!!
Yumm! Looks great!
Thanks, Kendall!
OMG this sounds so good must pin for later. I am so making this when i get home.
I hope it worked out well for you, Becca!
That looks and sounds so yummy!
But I would have to use non-bleached parchment paper if that would work. We are getting away from using tin foil as much as possible due to allergy issues, as recommended by a doctor in her allergy makeover book.
I reviewed it recently and we’re having amazing results after just starting to implement a handful of her suggestions … we do plan on implementing all or most of it over time: The Final Missing Pieces to Our Son’s Allergy Puzzle
Oh, that’s an interesting idea! I’ll have to try that! I had no idea that tin foil could aggravate allergies – thank you for that!
Oh my this looks delish! I bet all that goodness just melts in your mouth! BTW: I am visiting from Ultimate Blog Challenge. When Ana said she had a problem accessing your page, I had to come over.
Good thing I did! I found a wonderful recipe to try out. Yummies. Thanks so much! 🙂
Do you happen to know how many calories this dish has?
Thanks for stopping by, Bonnie! And dear me, no, I don’t know the calories 🙁 I would imagine the stuffing doesn’t help matters, but if you use olive oil, fat free cheese, fat free ranch and turkey bacon…I think you wouldn’t be too bad off!
I do that with fish and put it on the grill. It always comes out nice and tender
Oh yes, I need to build a Foil-Pack Fish!
We do this a lot with a variety of food items!
Do share, Amber! 🙂
Almost a complete food pyramid! That definitely looks yummy!
Yes! Thank you, Annie!
I love this recipe and it is something that you can add and subtract to and make it your own. I know my sons will love this.
Yes indeed, Pam! I’ve messed with it way too many times now, ha!
I love foil packet meals! Not only are they delish, but clean up is so easy! I think we all have those days that we simple do not want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen (especially in the summer time).
Pinning!
You got that right, Alli! Thanks for the pin! 🙂
That looks awesome! Once it was out of the oven it looked so tasty. Would love to give this recipe a go this weekend!
Well? Didja try it, Ronnie?! 🙂
That looks tasty and really easy to do.I will give this a go.I like that is is colorful and you have everything you could need in there.
Exactly! I hope you enjoyed it, Kay!
I like this chicken. What a great way to make it.
Thanks, Tess!
Um…yes, please! I have to Pin this for later. I’ve never made chicken this way and it looks so yummy!
Thanks for the pin, Amanda! Hope you enjoy trying this out yourself!
Those came out great! Foil makes everything easier. We cook fish in foil packs.
Indeed! I LOVE foil LOL No clean-up! I do cook salmon in foil, too!
I could practically imagine that yummy smell when you open the foil! I’d love to try it.
Oh yes, it smells amazing! I hope you try and enjoy!
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What a great idea! Looks wonderful.
That looks so scrumptious!!! This is one I will absolutely give a try and soon too. I will have to make a couple modifications to go along with my family’s tastes, but I’m already doing that in my head. I just have to get to the kitchen 🙂
I was wondering if I can use something other than ranch, I know it wont be the same taste but right now I am out,, This looks delicious,,,