These chicken foil packs are a delicious and easy way to enjoy summer grilling. They're made with seasoned chicken leg quarters, potatoes, and corn, all cooked together in individual packets. It’s a flavorful all-in-one meal, perfect for cookouts or relaxed weeknight dinners.
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What’s great about this recipe
⛺ Perfect for summer – Whether you’re grilling in the backyard or camping out, these foil packs are a fun and tasty way to cook outdoors.
😋 All-in-one meal – Each foil pack has chicken, potatoes, and corn, so you’ve got your main and sides wrapped up in one easy dinner.
🧽 Minimal cleanup – Everything cooks in foil, so cleanup is quick and painless.
💵 Budget-friendly – Made with affordable ingredients like dark meat chicken, corn, and potatoes.
🎉 Great for parties – This recipe is easy to double or triple when feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
- Chicken – I like using leg quarters for these foil packs, but separated drums, thighs, or a mix of both work just as well.
- Seasoning – A simple blend of salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Skip the red pepper if you prefer less heat.
- Oil – Use an oil with a moderate to high smoke point. We use canola oil, but vegetable or avocado oil also work.
- Produce – Fresh corn on the cob and small red potatoes are the go-to. You can use gold or other small potato varieties instead. Fresh corn is best, but if you use frozen, be sure to thaw it first.
- You’ll also need – Cooking spray or oil to grease the foil, heavy-duty aluminum foil (regular foil won’t hold up on the grill), and grill spray to help prevent sticking.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make chicken foil packs
- Make the seasoning: In a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using).
- Prep the veggies: Add the corn and potatoes to a large bowl, toss with 1 tablespoon of oil, and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix. Toss well. Set aside.
- Prep the chicken: Trim excess fat but leave the skin on. Pat dry, place in a pan, and brush both sides with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning, rubbing it in on both sides. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Build the foil packs: Cut 8 pieces of heavy-duty foil (20–22 inches long). Lay two sheets in a cross shape for each pack. Lightly spray the center with cooking spray. Add one chicken piece (or two if separated), a few potato pieces, and corn.
- Seal: Fold and seal the foil to form a packet, leaving a little room for air to circulate. Crimp the edges to prevent leaks. Mark the largest chicken piece. Use a permanent marker to note the foil pack with the biggest piece—use this to check for doneness later.
- Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high (about 375°F). Spray the grates with grill spray. Cook for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F (175–185°F is even better for dark meat) and the potatoes are tender.
Serve. Sprinkle with salt, garnish with fresh herbs, and add butter, sour cream, or hot sauce if you like.
Recipe tips and notes
- Try to use chicken pieces that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- Dark meat is recommended. If you prefer drums over thighs (or vice versa), either works well in place of chicken quarters.
- It’s important to use heavy-duty aluminum foil. Regular foil may tear or leak during grilling.
- Grill time may vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces and the heat of the grill. To check for doneness, carefully open the marked pack (watch for steam!) and use a meat thermometer. The chicken should be at least 165°F, but 175–185°F is ideal for dark meat. If it’s not done, rewrap and grill for another 5–10 minutes, then check again.
Make ahead, storing, and reheating
⏲️ Make Ahead: You can prep the foil packs a few hours ahead of time and keep them refrigerated until ready to grill.
🧊 Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
❄️ Freeze: Let the food cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Cover tightly and freeze for 2–3 months.
🔥 Reheat:
- Oven: Place the contents (still in foil or transferred to an oven-safe dish) in a 350°F oven until hot all the way through.
- Air fryer: Remove the food from the foil and place it directly in the air fryer basket. Heat at 350°F until warmed through.
- Microwave: Transfer contents to a microwave-safe dish and heat until hot, checking that everything is evenly reheated.
🌡️ Food safety:
- Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
- Do not leave cooked food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours—or 1 hour if it’s above 90°F.
- For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Substitutions and variations
Swap the vegetables. Green beans, sliced bell peppers, zucchini, or onions all work well in these foil packs. Just cut them into similar-size pieces so everything cooks evenly. Toss them with oil and seasoning just like you would the corn and potatoes.
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you prefer white meat, use thick, whole chicken breasts (not thin cutlets). Season and build the packs as directed. Grill over medium-high heat for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches 165°F. If the potatoes need more time, remove the chicken, reseal the foil, and grill the veggies for another 5–10 minutes.
Add cheese at the end. A little shredded cheese over the chicken and veggies adds extra flavor and a melty finish. Carefully open the foil packs during the last 3–5 minutes of grilling, sprinkle cheese (like cheddar or a blend) over the top, then loosely reseal the foil and let it melt before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Place the foil packs on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 30–45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches at least 165°F and the potatoes are tender.
You can use frozen corn or other vegetables, but make sure to thaw them completely and pat dry to avoid excess moisture in the foil packs.
Stick to dry seasonings inside the foil to avoid excess moisture. If you want to add barbecue sauce or glaze, brush it on after cooking or during the last few minutes.
Warm weather just kicked off, and these chicken foil packs are a great way to start off grilling season. For more fun grilling recipes, try our shrimp foil packet—perfect for seafood lovers. For something bold, make our easy churrasco steak and chimichurri. Or go for something wholesome with our grilled chicken skewers that are packed with vegetables and don’t forget the grilled corn on the cob for a side that pairs with just about everything.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Foil Packs Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Salt plus a pinch for serving (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional (leave it out if you don’t like spicy)
- 4 Leg Quarters skin on (or 8 pieces dark meat chicken – about 3–3½ pounds)
- 3 tablespoons Oil divided (2 tablespoons for the chicken and 1 tablespoon for the corn and potatoes). Use oil with a moderate to high smoke point.
- 3 Fresh Corncobs shucked and cut into 4 pieces each
- 14–16 ounces Small Red Potatoes cut into halves or quarters depending on their size (about 10 small potatoes)
Instructions
- You will also need: Cooking spray, Heavy duty aluminum foil, Grill spray
- Make a seasoning mix. In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using). Reserve 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix for the corn and potatoes. Use the rest to season the chicken.
- Prep the vegetables. Add the corn and potatoes to a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with the reserved 2 teaspoons of seasoning mix and toss well.
- Prep the chicken. Remove any excess fat (and any giblets if present). Pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a pan and brush with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with half the remaining seasoning and rub it in. Flip the chicken and repeat on the other side. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Build the foil packs.
- Cut 8 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil, at least 20–22 inches long.
- Lay one piece of foil horizontally (left to right) on a flat surface, dull side up.
- Place another piece vertically on top, forming a cross.
- Spray the center lightly with cooking spray.
- Add one chicken piece (or two if separated), 3 pieces of corn, and 5–6 potato pieces.
- Bring the top and bottom of the vertical piece together over the food and fold down to seal.
- Then bring the sides of the horizontal piece together and fold to seal the top.
- Make one or two more folds to reinforce the seal and leave a little space for air circulation.
- Crimp the sides to finish sealing the packet.
- Repeat until all 4 packets are done. Place them on a large plate or pan to carry to the grill.
- Top tip: Before sealing, identify the largest piece of chicken and mark that packet with a permanent marker. Use it to check doneness later.
Grill the chicken foil packs.
- Preheat the grill to moderate to moderate-high heat (about 375°F). Spray the grates lightly with grill spray.
- Grill the foil packs for 30–35 minutes, turning once.
- Check the marked pack first. Open carefully—there will be steam. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches at least 165°F and the potatoes are tender.
- If the chicken isn’t done, reseal and grill for another 5–10 minutes, then check again.
- Serve. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve with butter, sour cream, or hot sauce, if desired.
Notes
- Try to use chicken pieces that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- You can prepare these packets a few hours ahead and refrigerate them until ready to grill.
- Dark meat is recommended, but you can swap drums for thighs or use a mix.
- Be sure to use heavy duty aluminum foil—regular foil may tear or leak on the grill.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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