Chicken Baked in Foil with Potatoes & Carrots

Chicken Baked in Foil with Potatoes & Carrots

Based on a recipe from Cook's Country. Made this the other night and it was incredible! I was completely skeptical that this was going to taste good because it looked bland in the picture, and the ingredients seemed so basic. This recipe is a perfect example that you don't need fancy ingredients, tools or gadgets to make an awesome dish!

5 T olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 t thyme (I used dried)
1/4 t red pepper flakes
12 oz Yukon gold potatoes or other waxy potato, unpeeled, sliced 1/4 in thick
2 carrots, peeled, quartered and then cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 large onion, sliced 1/2 in thick, layers separated
kosher salt & pepper and/or seasoning of your choice
4-  6 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 T butter, divided into 4 pieces
2 T lemon juice
2 T minced fresh chives

1. Spray centers of four 20x12 in sheets of heavy duty foil with non stick cooking spray. Microwave oil, garlic, red pepper and thyme about 1 minute. Combine with potato slices, 1 tsp kosher salt, carrots and onions in a bowl and toss well to coat evenly.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper or seasoning of your choice (I used Tony Cachere's but Seasoned Salt would be good as well). In center of pieces of foil, arrange potato slices, top with chicken, carrots and onions. Add 1/2 T butter to each packet. Seal up packets as best as possible to hold in steam.
3. Bake at 475 on lowest oven rack until chicken registers 160 degrees- this took mine about 30 mins. When fully cooked, transfer packet contents to plate including the juices- drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with chives.

Next time I will increase the amount of veggies, because we loved them, so I will probably increase the oil a bit too. I would also consider adding parsnip or green beans to this as well. Maybe fennel too. This was total amazing and I can't wait to make it again. I can't think of the last time I tried a recipe that our family loved this much.

This would also be a recipe you could assemble in the morning and then bake before dinner. I also wonder how this would come out if you did not do foil packets but instead baked everything in a pan tightly covered in foil.