These EASY grilled chicken foil packets filled with sweet and smoky barbecue sauce-smothered chicken and veggies are the ultimate summer dinner. Each pocket is a complete meal! Just add rice or a salad on the side.
If you’re looking for some other great grilling recipes, check out my Italian chicken and veggies in foil and these delicious shrimp foil packets.
Today, I’m sharing how to drench juicy chicken breasts in barbecue sauce and tuck them into foil with delicious, fresh summer veggies. These chicken foil packets are crazy-easy to prepare and perfect for summer grilling. The chicken comes out super moist and flavorful, and the veggies get all steamed and tender. Everything cooks inside a neat, no-fuss foil pocket. As grilled chicken’s #1 fan, I can safely say that this recipe turned out GREAT. I almost licked the foil clean. Almost.
Why You Should Grill Your Chicken In Foil Packs
- Juicy, tender results. Cooking in foil is similar to the French technique of cooking en papillote (“in parchment”), where food is sealed inside parchment or foil before cooking. This way, the chicken and veggies steam, locking in the moisture and flavor.
- Quick to prep. All you need to do is layer your ingredients over foil, then fold up the sides and seal it shut. It takes minutes.
- Minimal cleanup. You can even enjoy your BBQ chicken and veggies straight from the packet. Simply discard the used foil afterward! Done and dusted.
- Make-ahead and family-friendly. These chicken foil pack dinners are great for camping trips and BBQs. Prep them in advance to take along in a cooler, and they’re ready to go when it’s time to grill.
What You’ll Need
Foil packet recipes are very flexible. Here, I use barbecue sauce, but you can just as easily change up the seasonings to make chicken fajitas in foil (that’s just one example, there are SO MANY! Why not honey mustard chicken? Or honey soy chicken? You get my drift).
I’ve included my notes on the ingredients I use below. Scroll to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe, followed by the steps to make your chicken in foil.
- Chicken – I like to use quick-cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can also use boneless chicken thighs.
- Barbecue Sauce – I love my homemade barbecue sauce, and I’m always looking for excuses to slather it over everything humanly possible. You can use your own favorite homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce.
- Veggies – Summer is the theme here, so I use a mix of sliced zucchini, bell peppers, and asparagus. You can use any vegetables with similar grilling times, see below.
- Olive Oil – Drizzling the chicken and veggies with olive oil adds flavor and helps to keep the chicken from sticking. You could use another oil, like avocado oil.
Customize Your Veggies!
You can add just about any veggie to your foil packs. The key is to choose veggies with similar cooking times and cut them into the same-sized pieces. Good options for this chicken recipe are:
- Potatoes
- Onion
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash
- Sweet corn
- Mushrooms
Frequently Asked Questions
These foil packs take about 25 minutes to cook over medium-high heat. If you need to check the chicken, carefully peel back the foil and check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is done when it reaches 165ºF.
Yes. Keep in mind that bone-in chicken and chicken thighs will take longer to cook than boneless chicken breasts.
A drizzle of olive oil helps with sticking. However, you can also lightly coat the foil with oil or cooking spray before you assemble the chicken packets, as extra insurance against the food getting stuck.
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- Foil Sheets – Heavy-duty foil is best to prevent tearing on the grill.
- Cutting Board – For slicing the veggies and trimming the asparagus.
- Baking Sheet – Needed for the oven method to hold the foil packs.
- Meat Thermometer – For checking that the chicken is cooked through to 165ºF.
- Tongs – To safely flip the foil packs on the grill.
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Prep. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. For each foil pack, prepare two sheets of aluminum foil; place the sheets one on top of the other for durability.
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Add the chicken. Place one chicken breast on each stacked pair of foil sheets. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brush each chicken breast with 1 to 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce.
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Add the vegetables. Divide equally and arrange the vegetables around each chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle chicken and vegetables with a little olive oil.
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Seal the foil packets. Fold the sides of the foil over the chicken, covering completely; seal the packets closed.
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Grill. Transfer foil packets to the preheated grill rack and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until done, turning once. Chicken is done when a thermometer reads 165ºF.
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Rest and serve. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes. Serve.
Oven Method
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Prep. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
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Assemble the foil packets. Prepare chicken as directed above. Seal the packets closed and transfer to a baking sheet.
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Bake. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and carefully open up the foils; put the packets under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Finish and serve. Remove from the broiler. Brush with more barbecue sauce (optional) and serve.
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 12.1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Foil Packs
Get the grill firing, and let’s put together these delicious summer veggie and chicken foil packs. I found this 500-pack of precut foil sheets on Amazon and stocked up this summer! Otherwise, make sure to cut the foil sheets large enough so that they’ll wrap easily around the chicken breast.
- Prepare the foil. Lay out your foil sheets. If you’re using heavy-duty aluminum foil, one sheet per packet should be enough. However, if you’re using regular-strength foil, I recommend doubling up with two sheets for extra durability (lay one sheet over the other).
- Start with the chicken. Next, season the chicken with salt and pepper and place one chicken breast in the center of each foil. Brush the tops of the chicken with barbecue sauce.
- Add the veggies. Arrange the zucchini, peppers, and asparagus around the chicken. Season the veggies and drizzle over a little olive oil.
- Seal the foil packs. To close your foil packets, fold the sides up and around the chicken and veggies so they’re covered, and fold the edges of the foil together to seal.
- Grill. Add your sealed packets to the preheated grill, and cook over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes. Turn the packets once while they cook.
- Rest, then serve. Afterward, allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes. Carefully open the packets (be careful of the hot steam!) and enjoy your chicken and veggies right from the foil or transfer them to a plate to serve.
Oven Method
Don’t let a lack of a grill or bad weather stand in the way of a delicious chicken foil pack dinner! These aluminum foil packs go from grill to oven very easily. To cook chicken foil packets in the oven instead:
- Assemble the packets. Follow the same method as above. After you’ve sealed the packets closed, place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake in a 400ºF oven for 25 minutes. Afterward, carefully peel open the foil and broil the chicken and veggies for a couple of minutes to give it that darkened, “grilled” finish.
- Finish and serve. If you’d like, brush your chicken and veggies with extra barbecue sauce for serving.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Unwrap any leftover chicken and vegetables from the foil and store them in an airtight container. Refrigerate and reheat leftovers within 3-4 days.
- Reheat. You can warm up your leftovers in the microwave, oven, or on the stove.
