What if there was a way to make delicious meals with minimal prep time and effort while cooking?

Actually, there is! 

We definitely understand the feeling of being overwhelmed after a busy day and wanting to unwind and relax, letting yourself breathe out the stress of the day. Then remembering you’ve still got dinner to make and mouths to feed, so time to pack up your relaxation because it’s time to spend the rest of the evening in the kitchen! Well, with recipes like these, those days are over! We wanted to share how you can make delicious meals quick and easy using the foil packet method. Imagine being able to bring the savory, smoky, and earthy tastes and aesthetic of campfire meals to your dinner table. With this method, you can! Here’s the main idea: pick your protein, add your favorite veggies, and pop in the oven with little to no clean up! It’s pretty great in theory, but how does it actually work? We’ve laid it all out for you in this blog! And if the customization is overwhelming you at all, no worries! We’ve put together a series of 3 tasty recipes to give you some inspiration! 

Image by Chealsea’s Messy Apron

Classic Sausage Foil Packets

Roasted potatoes paired with smoked sausage and aromatic vegetables? Yes, please! This recipe is perfect for anyone looking to make a delicious and savory masterpiece with minimum effort in less than an hour! 

Image by Chealsea’s Messy Apron

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 4 packets

Ingredients

• 14 oz smoked beef and pork sausage, cut into coins
• 3 cups thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 cups (3-4 large) thinly sliced carrots
• 1 large thinly sliced yellow onion
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare four sheets of heavy-duty foil with a light spritz of cooking spray. 
2. Cut the sausage into coins and thinly slice the potatoes, carrots, and onion. Add the sausage, potatoes, carrots, and onion to a large bowl.
3. Drizzle in 2 Tablespoons of oil and all of the seasonings, including the salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together until well combined.
4. Divide the mixture evenly among the four prepared sheets of foil. Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and cut each Tablespoon piece into 4 smaller pieces. Add four pieces of butter to the foil packs (1 tablespoon per foil pack). Seal the foil packs tightly so no air escapes, but do not double wrap the foil (only one sheet of foil per pack or the cook time will be off). To seal the foil packet, bring the short sides together in the middle and gently fold down to completely seal. Then, roll up the ends.
5. Place foil packs on a sheet pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until veggies are fork tender. 
6. Remove from oven and carefully open the foil pack while expecting steam to be released. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs and serve with ketchup drizzled over everything or on the side.

Image by diethood

Grilled Shrimp Boil in Foil Packets

There’s nothing like a seafood-twist on a homestyle meal that brings out the tastes of Southern hospitality. Think gumbo but much, much quicker! This flavorful recipe mixes hearty ingredients like Andouille sausage, roasted vegetables, and more with the fresh taste of shrimp, sprinkled with spices and a hint of zesty lemon! 

Image by diethood

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 2 ears corn on the cob, cleaned, and each ear cut into 5 to 6 rounds
• 1 pound raw shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
• 12 ounces Andouille smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons old bay seasoning
• lemon slices & chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Grill Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Add 8 cups of water to boil in a large pot. Add potatoes and corn and reduce heat to a steady simmer for about 10 minutes, then drain.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine shrimp, sausages, onion, garlic, potatoes, and corn.
4. Add melted butter to the shrimp mixture and season with salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning; stir until thoroughly combined.
5. Divide the shrimp mixture ingredients between the four aluminum foil sheets. Wrap foils tightly around the ingredients and seal it all together.
6. Transfer prepared packets to a large baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and carefully open up the packets, garnish with lemon and parsley; serve and enjoy!

Image by eatwell101

French Onion Chicken Foil Packets with Cheesy Asparagus

There’s nothing like the savory, buttery, and mouthwatering taste that French onion soup has to offer. That is, of course, nothing besides this amazingly appetizing French onion chicken recipe! Not only does it encapsulate the traditional components of what makes French onion soup incredible, such as the perfect blend of herbs and spices, but it also is made in such a convenient and easy way that it only takes 50 minutes in total to prepare! 

Image by eatwell101

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 50

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Red crushed chili pepper flakes
• Pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2- 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or Gruyere)
• 1 lb  asparagus, medium-thick, woody ends trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes until soft. 
2. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized – about 15 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup of broth to deglaze if your pan gets too dry, and keep stirring until onions are browned. 
3. Stir in fresh minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 425ºF and cut 2 sheets of 14 by 12-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil then lay each piece separately on the countertop.
5. Divide chicken onto the aluminum foil near the center. Place trimmed asparagus to one side of the chicken, following the long direction of the foil. Drizzle chicken breasts and asparagus with a little olive oil and season with oregano, crushed chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
6. Spread caramelized onions on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
7. Wrap foil packets in and crimp the edges together then wrap ends up. Don’t wrap too tight – keep a little extra space inside for heat to circulate. 
8. Transfer the chicken foil packs to a baking sheet and bake the chicken in the oven, sealed side upward until chicken has cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
9. Carefully unwrap the baked French onion chicken and asparagus foil packets and bake in the oven in broiler mode for 2 minutes to crisp up the cheese. Remove from oven and serve immediately with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

There’s nothing like a relaxing meal to end a stressful day.

Don’t let the stresses of your daily life get in the way of living your life in ease in the comfort of your own home! Utilize the recipes and guides we compile here for you. We strive to make eating easier for everyone around us, which is exactly what we’re doing here! These recipes are perfect for anyone looking to feed themselves and their families delectable meals without sacrificing a great deal of time and effort. You deserve to have easy and delicious meals as much as possible, so the best time to make sure this is what’s happening in your life is to take advantage of the services and tips and tricks we offer to members of our community!

We hope you enjoy these recipes for these Easy Weeknight Foil Packet Meals. If you tried it, make sure to let us know! For more recipes, follow us on social media and make sure to check out our weekly blog posts where we share our new favorite recipes and must-know facts about food and living a healthy lifestyle! Check out the other meal options Mealfit provides such as our Weekly Specials, Individual Meals, and other Meals by the Pound.