There is literally no recipe I have ever cooked that’s easier than Santa Fe Chicken. All you have to do is season chicken breasts, place them on top of a piece of foil, spoon veggies and salsa over them and place them on the grill or the oven.
That’s how easy these chicken foil packets are! So if you have little to no time to prepare dinner tonight, Santa Fe Chicken Foil Packets are the way to go!
Ingredients you’ll need:
Santa Fe Chicken comes together really quickly, and you will need the following ingredients:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This recipe makes 4 servings, so you will need 4 chicken breasts.
- Chili powder, ground cumin, and coriander are the spices we will use to season the chicken breasts.
- Black beans, drained and rinsed so the liquid doesn’t make our chicken soggy.
- Whole kernel corn, is also drained so we don’t add any extra liquid to the packet.
- Chunky salsa. I like the chunky better because it has less liquid so the packets are less likely to leak.
- Bell peppers. This is the only ingredient you have to prep by slicing them. I like to use different colored bell peppers to make my packets look pretty.
- Shredded cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheese. I recommend you shred the cheese yourself, this way it melts properly.
- Cilantro, Jalapenos, and tomatoes for garnish.
How to make Chicken Foil Packets:
They are so easy to make, it literally takes you less than 10 minutes.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and coriander.
- Spray 4 large pieces of foil with cooking spray and place one chicken breast in the middle of each piece of foil.
- Divide the black beans, corn, sliced bell peppers, and salsa evenly between the packets, placing the veggies around the chicken breasts.
- Fold the foil to form packets by bringing 2 of the edges together and folding them down 3 or 4 times. Fold the remaining foil down to form a rectangle.
- Place them on the grill, veggies side down, and cook them for 15 minutes. If you don’t own a grill, you can place them in a 425 F oven.
- Flip the packages over and cook them for 10-15 mins more.
- Remove from the grill, open the packets and divide the shredded cheese evenly on top of the 4 chicken breasts. Return to the grill (packets opened) and cook just until the cheese melts.
Additions and variations:
- You could make creamy packets by adding veggies like peas, carrots, and green beans, and instead of salsa, use condensed cream of chicken.
- How about some French onion packets? Add sliced onions and mushrooms and use french onion soup instead of salsa.
- Place chicken breasts, sliced ham, and swiss cheese with bechamel sauce for a twist.
- Lemon chicken is also a great idea. Place lemon slices on top of the chicken breasts, squeeze some juice on top, and season with salt and pepper. You can add fresh thyme and oregano on top.
- Small diced potatoes and sliced onions with barbecue sauce are other great ideas.
What to serve with Santa Fe Chicken?
I feel soup, rice or potatoes are the way to go for side dishes. My Garlic Butter Rice Recipe is a good one, and Green Beans, Bacon and Potatoes are super yummy as well. You could also serve The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup or Best Cauliflower Soup Recipe. For dessert, I would recommend Easy Double Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake. It’s to die for!
Santa Fe Chicken is both delicious and incredibly easy to make. You’ll be amazed.
Santa Fe Chicken Foil Packets
There is literally no recipe I have ever cooked that’s easier than Santa Fe Chicken. All you have to do is season chicken breasts, place them on top of a piece of foil, spoon veggies and salsa over them and place them on the grill or the oven.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 -15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 -15 oz can whole kernel corn
- 1 cup sliced bell pepper (½ green, ½ yellow or orange)
- ¾ cup chunky salsa
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- Cilantro, sliced jalapenos and tomatoes for garnish
Instructions
- Season each breast with salt, pepper, chili powder, ground cumin, and coriander on both sides, and place each one in the middle of a large piece of foil previously sprayed with cooking spray.
- Spoon the veggies and salsa around the chicken breasts
- Fold the foil by bringing two opposite sides together and folding them about 3-4 times and then fold the remaining foil down to tuck beneath the packet like so:
- Place on the hot grill veggies side down for 15 mins, flip and cook for another 10-15 mins on the other side.
- Remove them from the grill, open the packets and divide the shredded cheddar evenly on top of the 4 chicken breasts. Return to the grill (packets open) and cook just until the cheese melts.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 541Total Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 721mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 13gProtein: 64g
