Pesto Chicken Grill Packets

My favorite food magazine right now is Everyday with Rachael Ray, I find that I cook several recipes out of each issue and a large percentage of these become standards that I use again and again.

Last night I tried Pesto Chicken Grill Packets out of the June/July 2009 issue. They were wonderful. This recipe was quick and easy to prepare using all fresh ingredients. Pesto sauce is the only prepared ingredient and you CAN make your own, I just never can find fresh basil in large enough quantities so I buy it. Find pesto sauce in a tub in the section with refrigerated fresh pasta or in jars with the Italian international foods. Here is the pesto recipe if you want to make your own.

This was light, delicious and fresh tasting, basil and tomatoes are the flavors of summer.

When I took the packets outside to put them on the grill, I had run out of propane so I baked them in a 355 F oven for about 35 minutes.I give full instructions on how to set up a grill for indirect heat in my recipe for Beer Can Chicken

Pesto Chicken Grill Packets

Extra virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 1/4 pounds)
salt & pepper
1 cup basil pesto (I found I needed more than 1 tub to make 3 servings)
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
4 plum tomatoes (I used 2 Roma tomatoes, they cook well & were on special)
8 green onions, trimmed

Preheat the grill to medium. Cut four 12-inch long sheets of heavy duty foil. I assembled all my ingredients and made up the packets one at a time, then placed them on a cookie sheet for easy transport to and from the grill.


Assembly
Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil in the center of a sheet of foil, top with a piece of chicken, salt and pepper then flip and season the 2nd side. Top chicken with 1 tablespoon of the pesto sauce. Mound 1/4 of the zucchini, tomatoes and green onions on top of the chicken and dollop with 3 tablespoons of pesto on top of the veggies. Fold the foil over the chicken and veggies; fold up the ends to seal. (Note: that is a total of 4 tablespoons of pesto sauce per packet.)

Cover and grill the packets over indirect heat for 25 minutes (or bake in a 355 oven for about 35 minutes.) Remove from the grill and open carefully. I give full instructions on how to set up a grill for indirect heat in my recipe for Beer Can Chicken.