BBQ Hawaiian Chicken Foil Packets - grill or oven

 

Ingredients

For the seasoning rub + sauce:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground black pepper)
• Cayenne pepper, to taste (I use a pinch)
• 3/4 cup favorite BBQ sauce (see note)

For the packets:

• 6 thin cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see note)
• 2 to 3 cups chopped red/orange/yellow bell peppers (about 2 large bell peppers)
• 2 to 3 cups chopped fresh pineapple (I haven't tried this with canned)
• Chopped chives or green onions for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat a grill to medium heat (I use 375 degrees F on my pellet grill) or oven to 400 degrees F.
2. For the seasoning rub, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked or regular paprika, black pepper and cayenne. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides of each chicken piece evenly with the seasoning rub.
3. Prepare the foil packets by laying out long pieces, about 20-inches, of heavy duty aluminum foil (or two layers of regular foil). Lightly coat the center of the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the chopped peppers evenly among the foil pieces (about 1/3 cup per foil packet). Top with chopped pineapple (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup). Sprinkle with green onions or chives.
4. Top the pineapple + peppers with a piece of chicken. Spread BBQ sauce liberally over the chicken. Bring the short edges of the foil up to meet and then use small folds down so there's a little space between the chicken and the foil. Crimp and press the folds well to seal. Do the same with the side edges. Press and crimp well to seal (see pictures above in the post).
5. Grill or bake the packets for 15-18 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through (if you open a packet - do so carefully as the steam will be hot - and the chicken isn't fully cooked, carefully seal the packet again and cook for a few minutes longer). Serve hot over rice (or cauliflower rice) and sprinkle with more chives/green onions, if desired.

Notes

BBQ Sauce: this is my favorite homemade BBQ sauce (so good!); my favorite storebought brand is Sweet Baby Ray's or Kinders.

For the Chicken: either use already thin-sliced chicken breasts or use three thicker/larger chicken breasts and cut them in half (like a hamburger bun) to form two thinner cutlets. The ingredients in these foil packets cook much more even if the chicken breasts aren't super thick.

 

Recipe and picture from Mel's Kitchen Cafe