Chicken and Rice Fajitas in Foil – Incredibly delicious and easy to prepare fajitas with chicken, peppers, onions and rice all cooked in foil packets. Easy, quick and SO GOOD!
Hi YA! Happy Superbowl Sundaaaaay! I’m now leaning towards the Falcons… where are you at? I’m also leaning towards eating cake for breakfast, lunch, dinner and the rest of forever, but hey. we’re all dreamers… 😉 Kidding! I’m sure they’re all great!
I’m just looking forward to the Patriots’ eye candy of a quarterback – that is what’s going to make me watch. AND it’s his 7th Superbowl?!? DAYYYY-um! Good on him.
In all honesty, though, you will most likely find me at the buffet table, trying each and every dish that was brought to the party. It’s just how I roll, and it’s what I call “research”. In the end, it will benefit you and me, both.
This post is sponsored by STAR FINE FOODS, maker of awesome Olive Oils, Vinegars, glazes, capers, anchovies, onions, and the list goes ON and ON!
Thank YOU, friends, for supporting the brands that make Diethood possible!
Superbowl shmuperbowl, believe it or not, there’s more important things to discuss. Like, the fact that February is Heart Health Month and our STAR Fine Foods’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil is going to aid us in making those heart-healthy food choices.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND YOUR HEART
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is loaded with antioxidants, some of which have powerful health benefits. According to studies, a diet rich in olive oil could improve the arterial function in individuals and possibly reduce the risk of a stroke.*
Studies have also confirmed that a Mediterranean diet is healthy and cuts the risk of heart disease. This is mostly contributed to the exclusive use of olive oil in their diet because, monounsaturated fats found in Olive Oil help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.**
Doesn’t all that info make you want to drink a bottle of Star Fine Foods Olive Oil? Worked on me!
Speaking of Mediterranean: please welcome bell peppers, chicken, rice and EVOO to our fajitas in foil prep table! Cheese will also make an appearance…
Last year we celebrated this day with Tomato Pesto Salmon and Rice Recipe Baked in Foil, and today, something similar, but quite different, we’re going to kick it off with this delicious recipe for Chicken and Rice Fajitas in Foil.
CHICKEN AND RICE FAJITAS IN FOIL
If you’ve come to my corner of the internet webs on a few occasions, then you definitely know my obsession with food cooked in foil. I love it *thiiiiis* much! It’s healthy, it’s dang delicious, AND, cleanup is a breeze. Which, in all honesty, is probably the best part. And the fact that it’s healthy.
- This nice fajitas in foil dinner calls for a few minutes of slicing which is my equivalent of kitchen therapy. No one is allowed to bother me during my time of focus while singing, “Don’t wanna know know know know…”
- I’m also going to have you make that Homemade Fajitas Seasoning Mix – it only takes a minute. If you don’t want to use that one, any taco seasoning packet will do.
- What I am mostly proud of here is the rice. Yep, the rice. It cooks together with the chicken. To me, this is magic. You just combine the rice with water + seasonings, and then transfer it to the foil. Chicken goes on top of the rice, followed up by the peppers and onions. 38-ish minutes later, this is what you’re going to end up with:
NOT BAD, eh?! This is a great dinner, friends. Get on it, stat!
For more information on STAR Fine Foods Products, please check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil is available at retailers nationwide including Safeway, Kroger, Vons, Albertsons, Food 4 Less, Save Mart, Target, Walmart, Schnucks, Food Lion, Stater Bros., Raley’s, Smart & Final, Bashas, King Soopers, Vallarta, Jewel, Smith’s, Dierbergs, HEB and Ralphs and ONLINE.
ENJOY!
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TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE
WATCH HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN RICE FAJITAS IN FOIL
Chicken and Rice Fajitas in Foil
Ingredients
- 4 large sheets of foil
- cooking spray
- Homemade Fajitas Seasoning Mix
- 1 cup white minute rice
- 1 cup warm water
- 4 boneless , skinless chicken breasts
- salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
- 1 red bell pepper , sliced
- 1 green bell pepper , sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper , sliced
- 1 onion , sliced
- 1 tablespoons STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
- lime juice
OPTIONAL GARNISHES
- sliced avocados
- sour cream
- cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Spray foil sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
- Prepare the Fajitas Seasoning Mix.
- Combine rice, water, and 1 tablespoons fajitas seasoning mix in a bowl; stir until well incorporated.
- Using a slotted spoon, divide the rice mixture evenly over each foil.
- Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and rub with some of the fajitas seasoning mix.
- Place chicken over rice.
- Arrange peppers and onions on the sides of each chicken breast.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over all the ingredients.
- Combine shredded cheeses and divide the cheese mixture evenly over each chicken breast.
- Fold the sides of the foil over the chicken, covering completely; seal the packets closed.
- Transfer the foil packets to a large baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, or until chicken's internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Remove from oven and carefully open up the foils; put the packets under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from broiler.
- Squeeze lime juice over food.
- Garnish and serve.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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References:
*https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/olive-oil-health-benefits
**http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-extra-virgin-olive-oil-extra-healthy
Slow Cooker
Freezer Friendly
Low Carb
Instant Pot
Gluten Free
Keto
Beef
This was just delicious 🥰
Great recipe! My husband found this recipe online and we’ve made it several times now – delicious every time! We make it with both boneless breasts and thighs and the only thing I add is a chopped jalapeno as we love spicy food. Have also made it with thick cut bone in pork chops (seared them first in pan) and that was good as well. Thanks!!!
Does it matter how long you soak the rice in the water?
Hi! That would be about 3 to 4 minutes.
How would you do this as a freezer meal? Cook first or wrap up and freeze?
Hi!
I’d prepare it all first, but not cook it. Also, wrap it in parchment paper if you’re going to freeze it, and I only say that because lately there’s been a lot of talk about keeping things in foil for too long and the negative effect that might have on our health. Not sure about it all, and there are no official studies, but just to stay on the safe side, I advise not to. 😀 You can cook the packets the same way even in parchment paper.
Any ideas on how long this should cook in the coals of a campfire? This recipe is linked up in several camping roundups, and I’m excited to take it camping tomorrow.
So if using a slotted spoon with the rice, you are just basically getting the rice wet and discarding the water?
Tried this tonight and both of us loved it. I did change the Fajita Seasoning Mix a bit by using half Paprika and half Smoked Paprika which I love. A Keeper!!
YAY!! SO happy to know that you enjoyed it. 🙂 Thank you!!
Could you do this as a freezer meal? If so would I still cook the rice and do everything the same, except put it in the freezer after prepping.
This look great! Can I do them a couple of hours ahead of time and not cook right away?
Thanks, Cindy
Could you use cooked quinoa in place of rice? Sounds amazing and can’t wait to try this, btw!
Hi Nancy! Yep, you can use quinoa, but it has to be cooked. In this recipe, I used instant rice and that is why it didn’t need precooking.
whats the backing temp ?
baking
Hi! You will need to preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
Love the colors those bell peppers produced! This is such a flavorful recipe, less mess, so quick and easy.
I love this! Seems super easy and SO yummy!
Such a smart idea…..in foil!!
This looks so good! Thank you. Pinned.
Made this for dinner last night and it was fabulous. Easy clean up?! Thats a bonus!
So the rice goes in uncooked?
Hi Antoinette! Yes, and you have to use minute rice.
How could i incorporate shrimp in with this also?
How about if we used half cooked rice instead of the minute ones would it work?
Hi! I don’t want to say to go ahead with that because I haven’t tried it, but on the other hand, I don’t see why not. It will most definitely finish cooking once in the oven. 🙂
I am so making these. Do you think this would work with shrimp and would I need to lessen the time? Thanks
in the fajita mix recipe, did you use ground cumin or cumin seeds? thank you
That should be ground cumin.
Didn’t see recipe for fajita mix.
HI Cassie! There’s a link to the recipe within the recipe card – the words Homemade Fajitas Seasoning Mix are underlined and if you click on that, you will be redirected to the recipe in its entirety.
Here it is: https://diethood.com/homemade-fajitas-seasoning-mix/
Cannot see the recipe.
Hi! The recipe card is located toward the bottom, after all the photos and above the comments. I hope that helps. Please let me know if you’re still having issues.
Is that right – 1 cup rice and 1 cup water. The water seems very low.
Hi Lindy! You’re just combining the two in a bowl to soften the rice; the rice will then finish cooking with the chicken inside the foil.
so excited to make these yummy looking packets tonite for me and mine!
Looks & sounds so delicious…thanks for sharing!! Did you use instant rice?
Hi! Yes, I did. I updated the recipe card earlier when I noticed that the description of the rice only showed up in Chrome, but not on Internet Explorer. Very sorry about that!
Even if I don’t always read the recipes through, I always at least skim your posts cause your love of food and cooking (and hot looking quarterbacks) shine through in them. Delicious meal … enjoy the game.
Thank you, friend!! XOXO Have a terrific Sunday!