Simple Supper Monday, Vol 67: Pesto Chicken Packets | Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom

June 28, 2011

Simple Supper Monday, Vol 67: Pesto Chicken Packets

Sorry - I couldn't get this posted yesterday.  But I figure a day late isn't too bad.





So, I had caught wind of this cooking method that involved grilling meals in aluminum foil packets. I know. It's not rocket science.  But it's the little things that give me joy.

For whatever reason, I thought this was about the coolest idea I'd ever heard of, and I couldn't wait to try it out.  I love slow cookers.  Any one who has ever stumbled upon this blog know that.  And the idea of cooking a little packet over the coals for a period of time just appealed to me. It was like a make-shift crockpot for the grill.

AUGH!

Ok, so kind of not really.

But it was still cool and I wanted to try it.  The technique was pretty simple:  pick a meat (I chose chicken), spice it/marinate it/sauce it, throw some veggies in, wrap it in tin foil, throw it on the grill and voila!  Dinner!

You can see how this just speaks to me?

So I looked on line to see cooking times and what people were throwing into their packets.  I had some left over pesto in the fridge, as well as some assorted veggies, and concocted my first packet.

Can I say that I fell in love?

I fell in love.  There I said it.

The meat came out falling apart, much like when you cook it in a slowcooker.  It was nicely infused with flavor, juicy, and each packet was the perfect serving size for one person. Squee!

Hubby and I were so taken by this method, we've decided to try a new packet recipe every few weeks.  We think our next one will be teriyaki style. I can't wait to let you know how it turns out!

In the meantime, I highly suggest you try this one out. I think you'll be pretty happy with the results!

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Simple Supper Monday/Tuesday




(serves 4)



  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded or sliced thin 
  • 8 TBS Pesto
  • 1 onion, cut into slices
  • 1 green pepper, cut into slices
  • 1 red pepper, cut into slices
  • 1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
  • Salt, Pepper for seasoning
  • Aluminum Foil



1) Cut 4 14-inch long rectangles of Foil.  Grease with cooking spray.


2) Divide veggies into 4 portions.


3) Place 1 portion of onion, red pepper, green pepper onto greased foil rectangle. Spread with 1 TBS of Pesto. Top with chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with another TBS of Pesto.  Add tomatoes on top/around Chicken and veggies.


4) Bring 2 ends of foil together.  Fold together, and bring up sides to seal.


5) Repeat with 3 remaining packets


5) Throw on hot grill for 30- 45 minutes (Check after 30 - if chicken juices do not run clear, fold the packets back on and check after 10 more minutes).


6) Take off the grill when finished - and let sit for 3-5 minutes. BE CAREFUL when opening of steam.


7) Serve with crusty rolls and enjoy!


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Notes:


1) Most people have boneless, skinless chicken breasts lying around, so I used them when writing recipe.  I have tended to use Chicken Cutlets (thin-sliced chicken breasts) or Chicken Tenders (thin-cut chicken breasts) in this recipe.  I'm not sure if this is breaking a Grilling Commandment or something (Steve Raichlan, please don't yell at me!), but I find that when I grill, it's easier NOT to under cook or over cook the thinner/smaller cuts of chicken. And when you are grilling packets, these cuts of poultry just seem more reliable.  Sorry, grillmasters.


2) I think a handful of green olives with pimentos thrown into these packets would be DIVINE.


So there you have it: your next grill recipe. It was seriously SO GOOD. And we cannot wait to try another packet recipe soon.  I will post it for you, granted it turns out as well as this one :)


Do you have a Grill Packet recipe?  I'd love to try it!  Send it my way... 


moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com







1 comment :

Hey! Share a thought or two - I'd love to hear from you! ~ Steph

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