Eat Without

Tasty Chicken and Veggie Packets

Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center

Published by the USDA MyPlate Kitchen library. Read from an archived copy of the source page captured 2025-12-31.

Fast and flavorful. Choose your favorite vegetables and try this quick and delicious dish on a busy weeknight. Serve with brown rice or quinoa.

Makes
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breast (boneless and skinless)
  • salt (to taste, optional)
  • pepper (to taste, optional)
  • 1/4 red onion (julienned)
  • 1 carrot (julienned)
  • 1 red pepper (julienned)
  • 1 celery stalk (julienned)
  • 1/2 zucchini (julienned)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons basil (fresh, chopped)
  • thyme (fresh sprigs, optional)
  • parsley (chopped, optional)
  • ginger (minced, optional)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil (or oil of your choice - divided)
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon, divided))

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 °F.
  3. Cut four large rectangles of parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold in half to create a crease. Unfold.
  4. Place each chicken breast in the middle of the foil or parchment paper and season with salt and pepper (if desired).
  5. Top chicken with your choice of vegetables and seasonings.
  6. Drizzle each packet with 1/2 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
  7. Fold the parchment paper or foil in half and then crimp around the edges tightly in 1/4-inch folds to create a half moon shape.
  8. Using a spatula, transfer the packets to a baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 °F, about 20 minutes, depending the thickness of the chicken breast.

Notes

For a video demonstration of the preparation of this recipe, see Nutrition.gov . Optional ingredients are not included in the nutrient or cost analysis. Learn more about: Onions Carrots Bell Peppers Celery Zucchini Garlic Herbs Ginger Lemons

Quoted for reference only, exactly as the source printed it, so check product labels yourself before relying on any of it. The methodology page covers the guarantee, and how a contributor can have their text removed on request.