Chicken Packets - Light Recipes For One

When I lived on my own, I mastered the art of cooking for one in foil packets. I have since found the beautiful invention that is parchment paper so now I use that instead. The brilliant thing about cooking in individual packets is that the are literally made for one. There's no extra thinking about it. They're also easily customizable meaning you could throw whatever you want together for a new dinner every single night. 

Chicken is an easy go-to. You can buy the chicken wrapped in individually packets which is nice for solo cooking. Or, you can use the old trick of separating the raw meat before you freeze it at home. We have a really nice butcher in my hometown that used to pack all my meat in individual portions so that I didn't have to deal with it myself. This recipe is one of my favorites. I threw it together one night after a long day at work and it became one of my weekly constants. 

Chicken doesn't have to take as long to cook in the oven as you probably would think or are used to. Cooking chicken breasts at 450 degrees not only gets them to cook quicker, it also makes them juicier because it allows less time for the heat to dry them out. The only caveat is the vegetables. The carrots and potatoes need a little longer to cook normally. You can get around that by cutting them small, really small. Cutting them into sticks works best and then you can just make sure they're thin. That will ensure they are nice and tender by the time your chicken is ready to go. A little seasoning everyone has in their pantry goes a long way. It's no-nonsense and delicious.

CHICKEN PACKETS
Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless Chicken Breast
1 tbsp. Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Red Potato, sliced into sticks
2 Carrots, sliced into sticks
Salt + Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. On a piece of parchment paper, drizzle a chicken breast with olive oil. Season both sides with Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes and carrots around the chicken. Drizzle with a tad more olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

3. Fold the parchment paper and twist the ends like a tootsie roll. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Serve.

What are some go-to dinners you make on weeknights?