Recipe: Pesto Tomato Chicken Grill Packets

Grill packets are great for a barbecue because you can prepare them ahead of time, pop them on the grill and leave them alone for a bit to create a delicious meal, and there's less clean up afterwards!

Although we normally recommend chicken with bones and skin for grilling, in this case, since it's wrapped in foil, boneless will cook faster so it's okay to use. This recipe packs in a ton of fresh summer flavors anyway, with tomatoes, onions, and that quintessential summer basil treat - pesto!

Pesto Tomato Chicken Grill Packets
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

Fresh pesto is delicious & easy to make! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
4 ripe tomatoes, each quartered
1 medium sweet onion, quartered
1/2 cup basil pesto
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp butter, divided

Directions:

• Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.
• Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil and place a chicken breast on each one.
• Top each with the tomatoes and onion, evenly distributing each.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the pesto and mayonnaise.
• Spoon this mixture over chicken and veggies, then cut the butter into quarters and place a pat of butter on each.
• Fold foil over tightly, sealing the packets.
• Put on grill on indirect heat, close cover, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, spinning the packet around once during this cooking time.
• Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before opening.

Recipe: 4th Of July Barbecue In A Bag

Barbecue in a bag? Yep! Grilling food in foil packets is great for barbecues, as it gives you a ton of flavor without a ton of work, and cleanup is easy! This 4th of July, try this simple recipe full of fresh summer ingredients, and impress your guests without slaving over the grill for hours.

You can even prepare all of the ingredients in advance and refrigerate, then throw the packets together right before guests arrive, and then enjoy yourself without having to tend to the grill the whole time.

Barbecue In A Bag
(Serves 4 but may be easily adjusted for more.)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1 lb. pork stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 fresh ears of corn, cut in half
4 to 6 new red potatoes, cut into wedges
1 cup frozen or fresh cut green beans
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Set your grill to medium-high heat and preheat.
• Lay out 4 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil (or however many packets you are making).
• In a bowl, toss together the pork with the barbecue sauce.
• Put 1/4 meat mixture on each of the 4 foil packets.
• Top the meat with the corn, potatoes, and green beans, then divide the butter into 4 equal parts and top each packet with a pad of butter.
• Fold the foil packets up, leaving a little air space at the top, then seal securely.
• Place on grill on indirect heat, cover grill, then cook for 30 to 40 minutes, spinning packets at least once during this time.
• Remove and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes before opening.

Recipe: Mini Pot Roast Packets On The Grill

Enjoy the rich flavors of pot roast, without having to heat up the house cooking for hours. Try this tasty and simple recipe on the grill for a quick dinner that is sure to please everyone - especially the person who normally has to scrub out the pot roast pan! This grilled meal offers great taste and minimal work, plus easy cleanup - it's a winner all around!

Mini Pot Roast Packets On The Grill
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 green onions, chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced small
1 regular carrot, diced small
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp water

Directions:

• Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.
• Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Divide the beef and all the vegetables evenly between the 4 sheets of foil; fold the sides up but leave unsealed for now.
• Whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, butter, and water, then pour carefully into the contents of the packets.  
• Fold up the sides and tightly seal into a packet, leaving a little air space at the top.
• Set on grill on indirect heat, close cover, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, spinning packets around once or twice during the cooking time.
• Cook until meat and vegetables are tender and cooked to your liking.
• Remove and let rest for a few minutes then carefully open packets and serve.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Fajita Dinner In A Pouch

This easy-peasy yummy dinner takes little prep time, so you can spend your time enjoying the great outdoors on a summer evening, instead of cooking away in the kitchen. Grilling food in foil packets makes it easy to cook a full meal at once, and clean up of course is a snap - you won't even get the grill dirty! Enjoy this tasty summer dinner for a picnic with friends, or just a lazy summer evening at home in the backyard.

Grilled Chicken Fajita Dinner In A Pouch
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4 teaspoons Mexican seasoning powder or chili powder
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 lbs chicken, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
2 bell peppers, diced small
2 onions, diced small
tortillas for serving (optional)

Directions:

• Mix Mexican seasoning and lime juice together in a bowl, then add the chicken and bell peppers, and cover with plastic wrap. Put in refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
• Make 4 pouches out of aluminum foil and spoon mixture (including the liquid) into the center of each pouch, dividing ingredients equally.
• Fold edges of pouches tightly and form envelopes, leaving a bit of room for hot air and expansion within the pouch.
• Put on grill set at medium-high and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning the pouches several times to cook evenly.
• Serve on tortillas with toppings such as sour cream or guacamole, if desired.  This meal may also be served over a salad.

Full Meal Deal – Make It All Right On Your Grill

Grilled meals are usually pieced together with only a portion of the meal made on the grill while the rest is cooked indoors and then served together. But who wants to be the one stuck in the kitchen while the fun is happening outside around the grill?

Today, we have so many gadgets and gizmos on our grills there is no reason we are not able to fix all of our meal on the grill itself. Let's take a look at four complete meals that are made on the grill in the same amount of time, or less, than you would make indoors.

Grilled Stir Fry

(Photo credit: batigolix)

Stir-fry is usually made in a wok or a deep pan on the stove. Been there, done that. You add a bunch of spices and liquids to season it up. Why not develop flavor while you are cooking the vegetables and meat instead of at the end?  By grilling the vegetables, you bring out the hidden sweetness trapped inside as the outside is caramelized over the fire. The meat also takes on the flavors of the grill, so when they are all combined, all you need to add is a little soy sauce at the most and dinner is ready to enjoy. Pick a protein and a few veggies or even fruit and give it a shot tonight.

Grilled Picnic

Picnics were made so you can enjoy the outdoors. Why coop yourself up in the house to cook for the great outdoors? Grilling is a perfect option for picnics. Think about grilled potato salad, or perhaps a hot grilled cabbage salad with spicy vinaigrette dressing. And grilled sandwiches are a no-brainer.  So, why not invite your grill to the picnic?

Grilled Pot Pie

One great benefit of the grill is that it has a cover. This cover can be lowered or raised to adjust the temperature. When the cover is closed, a grill acts a lot like an oven, which means that pot pies are fair game. A pot pie cooked on the grill not only has all the delicious ingredients that you are used to, but if you cook it on a charcoal grill with a little cherry or oak wood thrown in for kindling, you get a flavor you never would have expected. If you want to take pot pies to a new level, cook them on the grill.

Grill packet ready to cook.(Photo credit: sporkist)

Grilled Packets

One of the easiest ways to make a full meal on a grill is to enclose it in a foil packet. Just about anything goes with this kind of technique. The trick is to combine ingredients that taste good together as well as cooks at the same rate. Fish is an easy choice. Take a nice salmon fillet, put it over a bed of kale, top it with a big wedge of lemon and some sweet onion, and you have one amazing dinner. Cut up a sweet Italian sausage and combine with parboiled potato wedges and bell pepper strips.  Seal the packets well and you can even add a little butter or olive oil.  Be sure to cook with the cover closed and turn the packets around a few times during the cooking time.  This is the perfect way to make individual servings at the same time.  You can even customize each individual packet to suit your guests.

Your grill is a great place to create easy meals.  Don't limit your grilling experience to hamburgers and hotdogs, or even steak and chicken.  Imagine full meals coming off your grill so you can grill more frequently, preparing delicious treats for your family. Why not try something new tonight and take your whole meal outdoors!