Chicken foil packets
Garlicky chicken, little potatoes and green beans steam in their own foil packets, so dinner comes with its own plate and almost no dishes.
- 50 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.61 a serving
- 420 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 lb baby potatoes, quartered
- 8 oz green beans, trimmed and halved
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup grated parmesan (optional)
- ½ lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 420 calories, 37 g protein, 23 g carbs and 20 g fat, and costs about $2.61 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No boneless chicken thighs? Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work.
- No baby potatoes? Red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes work.
- No green beans? Frozen green beans work.
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F and tear off four 12x18-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
the chicken, potatoes, green beans, oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper in a big bowl.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Dolly’s tip: Keep the potato pieces small. Big chunks won’t be tender by the time the chicken is done.Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Divide it among the foil sheets and dot each pile with butter.
Fold the foil over and crimp the edges tightly to make sealed packets.
Dolly’s tip: Pinch every edge closed. Any gap lets the steam escape, and the steam is what cooks everything.Set the packets on a and 25 to 30 minutes.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Timer: 27 min 30 sec
Open one packet on the side away from you and check that the biggest piece of chicken reads 165°F and a potato is tender.
Dolly’s tip: The steam that rushes out is very hot. Open slowly and keep your face back.Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Sprinkle with parmesan, add a squeeze of lemon, and serve right in the foil.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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