Foil Pack Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken dinners are perfect for campfire cooking! Just combine smoked chicken sausage, rice, and broccoli in foil. This recipe also works on the grill or in the oven.

Try some of other favorite foil pack meals like Tin Foil Sausage and Veggies or Hobo Foil Packets.

Foil Pack Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken fresh off the grill ready to be enjoyed.

Foil Pack Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken

My family loves being outdoors and camping as much as possible during the summer. I’m always testing new campfire meal ideas, and these Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken foil packs were a huge hit on our last trip!

These foil packs are incredibly easy to assemble with minimal ingredients and no pre-cooking required. Thanks to some store-bought shortcuts, you can even add uncooked rice directly to the foil packs!

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for easy assembly.

Uncooked Rice… Will It Cook in Time?

Yes! The rice will cook to be nice and tender.

Use Minute® (instant) rice for this recipe. Regular white rice or other types won’t work; it must be instant rice.

While you prep the other ingredients, soak the instant rice in chicken broth to soften it and add lots of flavor.

Quick Tip

Use leftover instant rice in other foil pack recipes like Tin Foil Jambalaya or Salsa Verde Chicken & Rice.

All the ingredients in Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken being combined in a bowl and it all being assembled.

Ingredients

  • Instant rice: This is simply rice that has been partially cooked then dehydrated — it doesn’t have any weird ingredients added.
  • Chicken broth: Adds rich flavor to the rice.
  • Smoked sausage: Adds a smoky, rich flavor. I like Aidell’s Italian Style chicken sausage. Regular smoked sausage also works great.
  • Vegetables: Use fresh, chopped veggies, not frozen here.
  • Seasonings: Mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, chicken bouillon, and Italian seasoning for loads of flavor.
  • Olive Oil: Adds flavor, helps ensure even cooking, and stops ingredients from sticking.
  • Cheese: Use sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar for the most flavor.

The dinner in a foil pack right out of the oven and then cheese being grated on top.

How To Make Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken

  1. Soak the Rice: Mix instant rice with chicken broth and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Prepare Ingredients: Finely dice the onion, chop the broccoli into small pieces, and slice the sausage into rounds.
  3. Mix: Combine onion, broccoli, sausage, olive oil, and seasonings in a bowl. Add the soaked rice and mix well.
  4. Assemble Foil Packs: Divide the mixture onto foil sheets, seal them tightly, but leave space for steam.
  5. Cook: Bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes, or grill for 15-20 minutes, until cooked.
  6. Finish with Cheese: Open the packs, sprinkle cheese on top, reseal to melt the cheese, then serve.

Foil Pack Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken Tips

  • Fully seal the foil packets, but leave room for steam.
  • Spray the foil with nonstick coating to keep the rice from sticking.
  • Season to taste. After cooking, let the packets cool for a few minutes, then check if they need more salt or pepper.

A big bite of Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken being taken out of the foil packet.

More easy campfire meals

5 from 1 vote

Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken

Foil Pack Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken dinners are perfect for campfire cooking! Just combine smoked chicken sausage, rice, and broccoli in foil for a delicious, easy meal. This versatile recipe also works on the grill or in the oven.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rice Soaking: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Aluminum foil

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 cup Instant (Minute) Rice
  • 1 cup chicken broth or water
  • 1 (13-ounce) package smoked chicken sausage
  • 3 cups chopped broccoli
  • 3/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder see note 1
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or extra-sharp
  • Fresh parsley optional

Instructions 

  • Mix uncooked instant rice and chicken broth in a bowl. Let it stand for about 10 minutes. No need to pre-cook or drain the rice.
  • Preheat oven to 400ยฐF or the grill to medium-high heat (400-425ยฐF). Tear off four sheets of heavy-duty foil, about 2 feet long each. Spray with cooking spray.
  • Finely dice the onion, coarsely chop the broccoli into small pieces, and slice the sausage into 1/2-inch-thick coins.
  • In a large bowl, mix the onion, broccoli, sausage, olive oil, and all the seasonings. Add the soaked rice with any remaining liquid and gently stir until combined.
  • Divide the mixture evenly among the four foil sheets, about 1-1/2 cups per packet. Seal the foil packs tightly, leaving room for steam to circulate. To seal, bring the short sides together and fold down, then roll up the ends.
  • Bake in the oven on a sheet pan for 23โ€“29 minutes, or grill for 15โ€“20 minutes until rice is cooked and veggies are tender. For campfires, cooking time varies; check after 7 minutes. When grilling, flip packets halfway through.
  • Carefully open foil packs, expecting steam. Add 1/4 cup cheese to each pack and tent the foil over the veggies. Let stand for 3โ€“4 minutes to melt the cheese. Top with fresh parsley if desired. Let cool slightly, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Depending on sausage used you may need an extra pinch of salt. Enjoy hot.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: This adds a lot of flavor and saltiness, which will vary depending on the saltiness of the sausage and whether you're soaking the rice in broth or water. Add slowly, noting you can always sprinkle more on top after baking if needed.
Foil: Do not double wrap the foil. Use one sheet per pack or adjust cooking time if using regular foil.
Nutrition: The nutrition information is based on using chicken sausage; other varieties may change the values.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.8g | Protein: 33.1g | Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 101.7mg | Sodium: 366.5mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 3.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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6 Comments

  1. Chelsea says:

    Can you cook in an air fryer? Would these reheat well the next day?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Sorry I’ve never experimented in the air fryer with foil packs!

  2. Rita Cummings says:

    Hi ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿผ
    Can you please email me the full
    recipe for the foil pack cheesy
    broccoli and chickenโ€ฆ..Thank you

    1. Chelsea says:

      It’s in this recipe, if you scroll down or click the skip to recipe button you’ll find it! ๐Ÿ™‚ Hope this helps!

  3. Arianti Irene says:

    This Foil Pack Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken recipe looks absolutely delicious and perfect for a fun outdoor cooking experience! I love the idea of using smoked chicken sausage and uncooked rice for an easy and flavorful meal. I’m definitely going to give this a try, and to enhance the taste even more, I’ll be using Artem Oliva’s high-quality olive oil. Not only will it add a rich flavor to the dish, but it also offers numerous health benefits. I can’t wait to enjoy this meal during our next camping trip!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so excited for you to try this! Thanks for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚