I have a major weakness for olives. I can’t help myself — if I see them on a menu, there’s a pretty good chance that I’ll end up ordering them.

Roast olives are especially magical.

The flavor mellows out and gets super buttery and delicious. I’ve roasted them with everything from potatoes and chorizo to salmon and I’ve never been disappointed.

A few months ago I stumbled upon the cutest pizza place in Hudson, NY, called oak. You can imagine my excitement at seeing that they had a wood-roasted olive appetizer on the menu. Swoon. I got those and Shawn got some anchovies (to each their own but anchovies aren’t my thing). We were both in heaven.

Their pizza was also fantastic. I can’t recommend the white mushroom pizza with capers and garlic highly enough.

When I was looking for an easy party snack the other day, my mind immediately went back to those wood roast olives.

With a few tweaks, I ended up with a foil pack grilled olive appetizer recipe that knocked my socks off.

I used a combination of black, green, and kalamata olives and wrapped them up with thinly shaved fennel, garlic, orange zest, and red pepper flakes.

Then I grilled them just long enough to soften the fennel and bring out the warm, buttery flavor of the olives.

These roast olives are delicious on their own as a snack or served with crackers or baguette like a chunky tapenade.

They’re also fantastic spooned over grilled fish or roughly chopped as a sandwich spread.

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Grilled Olives with Fennel and Orange

Look for high-quality olives packed in either oil or water for this recipe.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed olives I like a combination of green, black, and kalamata
• ½ small fennel bulb shaved (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 orange zested
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients on a piece of heavy-duty foil. Fold the edges of the foil around the olives to enclose them. 
• Grill on high heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the olives are warm and the fennel has softened. 

By now you all know I love making healthy sheet pan meals for no-fuss weeknight dinners. But, now that the weather is nice, I don’t always want to turn on the oven. Plus I’d rather be outside anyway.

Right now, foil pack meals are my jam.

I totally forgot about them until recently, but we made them all the time when I was a kid. They’re great for camping since you don’t need any pots or pans and there’s not much to clean up. Plus they’re just super easy.

I’m thinking about doing a whole series of them on the blog this summer. What do you think about that idea? Let me know! (If you don’t have a grill, they’re also super easy to adapt for the oven). Update: I did this series! Click here for more foil packet dinner ideas.

Another thing we used to eat all the time when I was a kid is chicken fajitas!

I’ve shared Fajitas de Carne Asada with Onion Cilantro Salsa and Steak and Pickled Vegetable Fajitas here, but I haven’t made good old chicken fajitas in ages.

They used to be my favorite, which was a good thing since mom made them basically every time we had leftover chicken. When I made these foil pack chicken fajitas we gobbled up every last bit.

Making foil pack chicken fajitas

I added zucchini because I thought they could use more veggie goodness. You should, too, because it helps bulk them up and you barely even notice that it’s there. It blends right in with the rest of the flavors.

Cutting the chicken into small pieces helps it cook at the same pace as the vegetables, so everything comes out perfect.

I also pile the veggies on top of the chicken in the foil pack to keep them away from the direct heat of the grill while they cook.

You can flip the packets over for a few minutes at the end if they need it, but starting with them on top keeps them from getting burnt or soggy.

When it comes to eating these foil pack chicken fajitas, the options are seemingly limitless!

Options for paleo fajitas

I subscribe to the “more is more” theory when it comes to toppings, so I set out lots of paleo options like fresh salsa, guacamole, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and tortillas (I like siete tortillas for a grain free, paleo option.)

You can add all the best fajita toppings right to the packet and eat it with a fork, or scoop everything into a tortilla. Or you can serve it over cauliflower rice or make it into a salad with some chopped romaine hearts.

You really can’t go wrong!

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Foil Pack Chicken Fajita

Part of the fun in these foil pack fajitas is that there are so many ways to eat them. Load them up with toppings and serve the filling over rice or in a tortilla, or eat them straight from the packet for a Whole 30 complaint dinner.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 168kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips (about 1 pound)
• 2 bell peppers thinly sliced
• ½ red onion thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini cut into half moons
• Optional: guacamole salsa, Greek yogurt or sour cream, tortillas or rice, and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

• Combine the chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and as much salt and pepper as you'd like to a medium mixing bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. 
• Arrange 4 large squares of heavy duty aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Place 1/4 of the chicken on the center of each sheet. Top the chicken with the onions, peppers, and oregano. Fold each foil sheet into a packet by bringing two opposite sides together over the chicken; crimp the remaining sides before bringing them up over the top. 
• Place the foil packs seam-side up on a hot grill. Grill for 15-20 minutes, turning once, or until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are soft. Alternatively, bake the foil packs at 400ºF for 30 minutes.
• Serve with your choice of accompaniments. 

Notes

Nutrition information does not include optional toppings. 

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal | Protein: 23g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 113mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g