Caprese Chicken Foil Packs for Campfire or Grill

Chicken in foil packets with pesto and vegetables is an easy dinner recipe that can be grilled or cooked over the campfire.

Caprese chicken foil packs are a great way to cook a healthy, homecooked meal on your next camping trip. Or make them at home and cook them on the grill for an easy weeknight dinner.

I originally created this recipe when trying to find ways to make my family’s favorite homemade meals as a meal option when we are camping. One of my daughters is obsessed with pesto, so she was very happy when this meal made it on our camping menu.

Tricks for the Best Foil Packet Meals

Due to the high temperatures when cooking over the campfire, it’s important to use heavy duty foil to prevent burning.

Additionally, double-wrapping the foil packets helps to create a tight seal which improves the steaming process. Plus, you won’t lose any of the cooking juices when flipping if it’s double-wrapped.

Be sure to spray the inside sheet of foil with cooking spray so the ingredients don’t stick. This is especially true for this recipe because of the cheese!

How to wrap foil packets dinners

1. Lay a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil flat. Add the ingredients to the center of the foil, in a rectangle shape. (It doesn’t matter which side, shiny or dull, faces out!)
2. Pull both long sides over the food, toward the center. Fold the edges over each other twice for a tight seam.
3. Fold both ends in and roll up towards the center of the packet.
4. This creates the first layer of your foil packet.
5. Place the packet, seam side down, onto a second sheet of foil.
6. Wrap this packet in the same way as the first layer.

How to cook foil packets on the campfire

Cooking over the campfire is also a tad bit unpredictable. The temperature of a campfire can varying significantly, and the placement of the grate and foil packets affects this as well.

I recommend using a cooking grate when cooking foil packets over the fire. This helps to prevent burning and gives the food time to also cook through steaming.

You can also place foil packets directly on top of hot campfire coals after the fired has died down.

To cook a foil packet over a campfire, follow the steps below:

1. Place foil packets on a cooking grate over the fire, or on top of campfire embers or charcoal.
2. I prefer to place the packet with the meat side down first. This helps cook the meat faster without overcooking the vegetables.
3. Use tongs to flip the foil packets halfway through cooking time.
4. You can open the packets to check that the contents are cooked through. If not, simply wrap it back up and put it back over the fire.

Camping foil packets can also be cooked over hot charcoal. Spread coals in a flat layer and place the packets on top. Flip halfway during cook time.

For another easy foil packet camping dinner, check out my Mediterranean Chicken and Veggies or Sausage and Potato Pierogi foil packets. You can find all my foil packet recipes here.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are my favorite cut of chicken to use in foil packets, because they match the cook time of the vegetables well. They don’t dry out as easily as a chicken breast. I find that when I use bone-in chicken thighs, the veggies over cook in the longer time needed to cook the chicken.
• Zucchini: Keep the slices thick so the zucchini doesn’t get overcooked and mushy.
• Tomato: Plum tomatoes hold up well to the high heat.
• Pesto: I usually try to make homemade pesto before my camping trip to use in this recipe, but if I don’t get around to it, store-bought pesto is good too!

Looking for other camping foil packet dinners or desserts? Cheeseburger Hobo Dinners are a classic foil packet dinner and Mediterranean Chicken and Veggies is my personal favorite chicken-based foil pack to cook while camping.

How to Make This Recipe Before Your Trip

These foil packs can be entirely made before your trip and then thrown in the cooler until you’re ready to cook.

Sometimes, I find the foil packets take up quite a bit of room in the cooler, moreso than the ingredients. Instead of making the entire foil packets before my trip, I just prep all the parts.

I pre-make the pesto and store it a small container for travel. Then, I pre-slice the onions and zucchini and store them in a bag or container. If I want to eliminate all prep at my site, I also slice the tomatoes and store those.

Steps to Make Campfire Chicken FOil Packs

1. Make the pesto

Mince the garlic and combine with olive oil, basil leaves, parmesan, pine nuts, and seasoning (salt and pepper) in a food processor. Puree the ingredients until they are well combined and smooth. You can store the pesto in the refrigerator or cooler for up to three days before making the foil packs.

2. Slice the vegetables

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, and then into slices about 1/2″ thick. Slice tomato and onion into thick slices.

3. Assemble foil packets

Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, then place the onions and zucchini on top. Add 1 tbsp. of pesto and 1 tbsp. of parmesan cheese, place one boneless, skinless chicken thigh on top, and spread 1 tbsp. of pesto on top of the chicken.

Alternate slices of tomato and Mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken thigh. Follow the steps listed above to form your foil packet.

4. Cook over the campfire

Place the foil packets over indirect heat or over a small campfire. Placing the packets in large flames will result in uneven cooking.

Foil packets can also be cooked over pieces of charcoal (see notes above)

Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes per side. Cooking times are approximate and will greatly depend on campfire temperature. Chicken thighs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Enjoy!

Grab a fork and dig in!

Let me know if you make this recipe on your next trip by leaving a rating and a comment. Thanks!!