Easy Summer Dinner: Santa Fe Chicken Packets
On pretty summer evenings when it’s sunny and warm outside,
the last place you probably want to be is in front of a hot stove. It’s no fun
sweating away indoors when it’s gorgeous outside, which is why grilling is such
an attractive dinner option during the warmer months.
Not only does grilling give you the opportunity to get
outside and enjoy the sunshine, but it’s also a great way to get dinner on the
table fast. Unlike roasting, slow cooking or recipes that require lots of
chopping and prep work, easy
grilling recipes typically don’t take too long to come together. Simply
season or marinate whatever you’re cooking, toss it on the grill, and you’ll
have dinner ready in no time!
This recipe for Santa Fe Chicken Packets is a delicious easy
chicken recipe that puts a twist on traditional grilling. Instead of throwing
a slab of meat on the grill like you might do for cooking burgers, hot dogs and
steaks, this recipe has you wrap everything up in a foil packet so that the
entire meal cooks up together. It’s also a great recipe for picky eaters—since
each person gets his or her own foil packet, it’s easy to add or remove
ingredients to fit personal tastes.
The beans and corn in this dish serve two different
functions: first, they make a flavorful salsa for the chicken and second, the
combination works as a light veggie side dish. If you want a heartier meal,
grill up some veggies like zucchini, peppers or squash while the packets are
cooking and serve with a side of rice or a big green salad.
Santa Fe Chicken Packets
Serves: 4
- 1 15 oz. can Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
- 1 10 oz. can Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- o PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 oz. each)
- ½ cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
Preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat according to
manufacturer’s directions. Stir together beans, corn, drained tomatoes and
cumin in a medium bowl.
Place 4 18x12-inch pieces of heavy foil on the counter. Spray
each with cooking spray. Place 1 breast in the center on each piece of foil and
spoon ¼ of the bean mixture over each piece of chicken. Bring up the short
sides of each foil packet and double fold the top. Double fold both ends to
seal each packet, leaving space for steam to gather.
Place packets on the grate of a covered grill. Grill 15 to
20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the centers (165°F). Carefully
open packets; sprinkle ¼ of the cheese on top of each breast. Close foil and
let stand for 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
Tip: If you don’t have a grill, you can bake the packets in
a shallow pan in a 425°F oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink
in the center.
Author Bio: This is a
guest post by Meredith K. on behalf of ReadySetEat. For more easy dinner ideas, visit www.readyseteat.com.