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This Easy Chicken Enchilada Foil Packet is perfect for busy nights. Cleanup is a breeze when everything is cooked in one of these handy foil packs. The chicken, cheese and rice combine together for a meal bursting with flavor! It’s sure to be a hit with the entire family!
Easy Chicken Foil Packet
My family loves enchiladas but they can be a lot of work to make. Sometimes I just don’t have time to make the filling, heat the tortillas, roll them and cook them. Thankfully, I can make this easy enchilada foil packet instead! You get all the flavor of traditional enchiladas without all the work!
The enchilada sauce and cheese is delicious on the rice and chicken in this meal. The beans add a ton of flavor. It truly is an amazing meal! If you love Mexican food, you must give this a try! We keep this on our regular menu plan rotation and it’s great for busy nights.
Life is so busy and this meal is just the recipe for crazy weeks! Another tip I have to make this meal even easier, is to use rice that is frozen. Do you know how to freeze rice? It’s so simple and really convenient to take out for busy nights.
If you love this recipe, then you will love this Steak and Potato Foil Packs and Surf and Turf Foil packs.
Supplies needed for a Foil Pack Dinner:
Don’t take a chance on cheap aluminum foil. The heavy duty foil holds up great on the grill. This recipe has a lot of ingredients and you do not want the packet breaking! That defeats the purpose of easy cleanup.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts
- Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
- Green Enchilada Sauce
- Black beans
- Minced garlic
- Cumin
- Salt and Pepper
- Cooked Rice
- Cheddar Cheese
How to make Chicken Enchilada Foil Packets
- Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cheddar cheese and mix together.
- Spoon chicken mixture between 4 large sheets heavy duty foil sprayed with non stick cooking spray then wrap the foil tightly around the contents to form your foil packs.
- Preheat the grill over medium high heat.
- Place the foil packets on the grill, close lid, heat over high heat for about 8 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. If you are making multiple packets make sure to rotate them around the grill. Place the finished ones in an unlit area, cover and keep them wrapped to keep them warm while the other packets cook!
- Carefully open each foil packet and top each one with the cups shredded cheese.
- Re-close the packets and allow the heat from the meal and then enjoy!
How to Bake in the Oven:
If you don’t have a grill or want to make these in the Winter months, this recipe can also be made easily in the oven. To make in the oven, place the foil packets on a baking sheet.
Then bake in the oven at 425 degrees F for approximately 20-25 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
I used a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked to a safe temperature before eating. It’s easy to use!
Topping Ideas:
I love serving mine with topped with sour cream and cilantro. But you can easily top this foil packet with your favorite enchilada toppings.
Here are a few of my favorite toppings:
- homemade salsa
- red onions
- avocados
- green onions
- any remaining enchilada sauce
What to serve with chicken enchilada foil pack?
This recipe is very filling. You can easily serve it by itself but it’s always great served with a delicious dip recipe too. Here are some of my favorite queso and other dip recipes that go great with this Chicken Enchilada meal!
- Mexican White Cheese Dip
- Crock Pot Rotel Dip
- Quick Salsa Verde Recipe
- Easy Guacamole Recipe
- 7 Layer Dip Recipe
Variation Ideas:
You can easily switch up the ingredients in this recipe to make it your own!
Chicken – You can use diced beef instead of chicken if you prefer beef enchiladas instead of chicken. I would use diced steak of your choice or diced stew meat would be delicious too!
Bean – I love black beans in this recipe but any will work in this recipe. Pinto beans or white beans would be delicious. You also only stir in ¼ cups refried beans in the chicken mixture as well.
Enchilada Sauce – Green enchilada sauce is my favorite in this recipe but red enchilada sauce would be delicious too!
Rice – You could use brown rice or cauliflower rice instead. If you use cauliflower rice, I would mix it in right before serving so that it doesn’t get too soggy in this recipe.
Print this Easy Chicken Enchilada Foil Packet Recipe below:
Easy Chicken Enchilada Foil Packet Meal
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 10 oz. can, drained
- 1 can green enchilada sauce 10 oz. can
- 1 can black beans 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup cheese cheddar – shredded
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cheddar cheese and mix together.
- Divide the chicken mixture between four 12×12 inch sheets of foil, then wrap the foil tightly around the contents to form your foil packs.
- Grill over high heat for about 8 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Carefully unwrap the foil packets. Top each one with the shredded cheddar cheese, gently wrap the foil back and allow the heat from the meal to melt the cheese.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
More foil packet dinners:
- Foil Packet Bacon Ranch Chicken recipe
- Foil Pack Santa Fe Chicken Dinner
- Parmesan Chicken Foil Pack
- Foil Pack Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Recipe
- Foil Pack Italian Chicken and Veggies
- Mushroom Chicken Foil Packets
- Hobo Dinner Foil Packet Meal
More foil packets side dishes:
- Foil Pack Grilled Potatoes
- Teriyaki Chicken Foil Packet
- Grilled Zucchini Foil Packs Recipe
- Pesto Butter Veggie Foil Packets for the Grill
- Grilled Zucchini Foil Pack Recipe
- Foil Pack Grilled Red Potatoes
- Vegetable Foil Pack Recipe
This is very easy to make. The foil packet is a great idea but we cooked the chicken in a large cast skillet and dumped everything else in and cooked for 20 minutes more. Delicious and filling. We also put in a small can of drained corn.
I haven’t tried that yet but I do think that it would work fine. I would probably only cook about half the time since the chicken is already cooked through.
I sometimes get an already cooked chicken from deli. Can I use this, and just cook for a shorter period?
Yes, you can freeze them packets. I recommend letting them fully defrost before cooking them. I hope you enjoy them – Thank you!
I’m so sorry I haven’t tried freezing this before. You could make the individual packets and place them in freezer bags; however, I do recommend that all the ingredients are completely thaw out before cooking to cook thoroughly. If you try it out, please let us know how it turns out!
Hi, Carrie. I’m new to your blog and am so enjoying it… Thanks! I’m in my 70’s and live alone so am always looking for recipes I can divvy up and freeze for individual meals later. Would these foil packets freeze well? Can’t wait to try these. Thanks again!
I’d like to freeze these before cooking to take on vacation. Any suggestions?
I used regular cooked rice for this recipe.
Do you use cooked minute rice or regular cooked rice
Jacqueline – Yes, I put the chicken in the foil packet raw.
Do I put the chicken in raw?
So easy & delicious ~ will be a regular in our house for sure??????
I add in the cheese before I cook these – Thank you!
I drain the beans but not the rotel. Thank you!
Sounds like an awesome meal, but when do you add the cheese? Before or after cooking?
Should I drain the beans and rotel?
I used a 10 oz can of enchilada sauce for this recipe. Thank you!
What size can enchilada sauce did you use?
Hi, this sounds so easy and so good. I want to make it next week, but am wondering when you add the cheese?? Maybe it’s me, but I couldn’t find when to add the cheese. I appreciate any help. Thank you for posting.