CAPRESE STUFFED CHICKEN FOIL PACKS

July 21, 2015

Caprese stuffed chicken foil packs can be cooked in the oven, on the grill, or even over a campfire. They’re chicken breasts stuffed with tomato, basil, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinegar; placed on top of seasoned veggies; and wrapped up in foil packets.

To make this recipe, start by making a simple caprese salad. Mix fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Pile up the caprese salad on one side of a piece of chicken breast that has been pounded flat and thin.

Roll the chicken breast around the caprese filling and secure the seam with toothpicks. Place the stuffed chicken on top of some seasoned vegetables in the middle of a large piece of aluminum foil.

Fold/roll the edges of the foil in towards the center, creating sealed foil packs. Place the packs on a baking sheet.

Cook the foil packs until the center of the chicken in 165 degrees F. I baked mine in a 400 degree F oven for 25 minutes. You could also place the foil packs directly on the grates of a grill, or on a grate over a campfire.

If you decide to cook these on a grill or campfire, it would be a good idea to double up on the aluminum foil for more stability.

I served my stuffed chicken with an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top.

CAPRESE STUFFED CHICKEN FOIL PACKS RECIPE

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

25 mins

TOTAL TIME

40 mins

Author: Amanda Finks

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls (or fresh mozzarella cut into ½ inch cubes)
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. salt, divided
½ tsp. ground black pepper, divided
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow summer squash
1 tsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. Italian seasoning
2 (6 oz.) chicken breasts
Optional: extra balsamic vinegar for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, add the mozzarella, sliced basil, halved tomatoes, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Gently mix to combine. Set aside.
Cut the ends off the zucchini. Cut it in half, lengthwise. Then, cut it into ½ inch slices (making a half moon shape). Repeat with the yellow squash.
Tear off two long pieces of aluminum foil (about 1½ feet each). Divide the zucchini and yellow squash between the two pieces of foil, gathering the squash in the middle of each sheet.
Drizzle the squash with the olive oil. Sprinkle the squash with the Italian seasoning. Then, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place one of the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap. Use a mallet to pound the chicken thin and flat (about ½ inch thickness throughout). Repeat with the other chicken breast.
Divide the tomato mixture between the two chicken breasts. Arrange the tomato mixture in a strip 1 inch away from one of the edges of the chicken. Starting with the edge closest to the filling, roll the chicken around the filling. Use 2-3 toothpicks to secure the seam. Try to keep the toothpicks from sticking too far out of the chicken or else they could puncture the foil.
Place the stuffed chicken breasts on top of the squash piles. Sprinkle each chicken breast with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Bring the longest ends of the foil up over the chicken and roll them together. Then roll the short ends in, making sealed packets. Place the packets on a large baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the center of the chicken is 165 degrees F. Let them cool for 5 minutes.
Drizzle the chicken with extra balsamic vinegar before serving.

NOTES

To make on the grill:
Preheat the grill to medium-high.
Prepare the tomato mixture, squash, and chicken the same way except double up on the aluminum foil to provide more stability.
Place the foil packets directly on the grill grates. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the center of the chicken is 165 degrees F. Let them cool for 5 minutes before opening the packets.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving size: 1 packet Calories: 324 Fat: 11.3 Saturated fat: 4.5 Carbohydrates: 10.8Fiber: 3.2 Protein: 47.4

For more great recipes featuring fresh summer produce, check out these other Recipe Redux blog posts.

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