Best Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks in Foil Packets

If you ask me, foil packet dinners are one of the smartest ways to get dinner on the table.

This simple chicken recipe brings together thighs and drumsticks with frozen vegetables and BBQ sauce for a meal that practically cooks itself. A quick spice rub with garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder gives the chicken plenty of flavor.

Everything gets wrapped up in foil and baked until the chicken is tender and the sauce gets sticky and caramelized. The vegetables steam right alongside the meat, so you’ve got a complete dinner with almost no cleanup.

It’s an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy, especially when you’re short on time.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces for the best flavor and moisture. The skin helps protect the meat from drying out in the foil packets and gets nicely caramelized with the BBQ sauce. If you only have skinless chicken on hand, it’ll still work fine – just keep an eye on the cooking time since it may cook a bit faster. Fresh or frozen chicken both work great here, but if you’re using frozen, make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator before cooking. You can also mix and match the pieces based on what you prefer – all thighs, all drumsticks, or the combo suggested in the recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving and works well with a few simple swaps:

• Chicken thighs and drumsticks: You can use all thighs or all drumsticks if that’s what you have. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts work too, though they may need a few extra minutes in the oven to cook through.
• Mixed vegetables: Use whatever veggies you have on hand – bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, or green beans all work great. Fresh or frozen both work fine, just make sure frozen veggies are thawed and patted dry before using.
• BBQ sauce: Any BBQ sauce works here, whether it’s sweet, smoky, or spicy. You could also swap it out for teriyaki sauce, honey mustard, or even buffalo sauce if you want a different flavor profile.
• Paprika: Regular paprika is fine, but smoked paprika adds a nice depth if you have it. You can also use cayenne pepper for heat or skip it altogether.
• Garlic powder: Fresh minced garlic works too – use about 2 cloves worth. Just add it directly to the foil packets with the chicken.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making foil packet chicken is not sealing the packets tightly enough, which lets steam escape and can dry out your chicken – make sure to crimp the edges well and leave some space inside for air to circulate.

Another common error is opening the packets too early to check on the chicken, which releases all that valuable steam and can add 10-15 minutes to your cooking time, so resist the urge and trust your thermometer instead.

To avoid undercooked chicken, always check the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone), and remember that dark meat is actually safe and more flavorful at 175°F rather than the minimum 165°F.

Finally, don’t skip that last 5-minute open bake with the extra sauce – it caramelizes the BBQ sauce and gives you that slightly crispy, glazed finish that makes this dish special.

What to Serve With Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks?

Since this recipe already includes mixed vegetables in the foil packets, you’re pretty much set with a complete meal right there. If you want to bulk things up a bit, some fluffy white rice or buttered egg noodles are perfect for soaking up that BBQ sauce. A side of cornbread or dinner rolls also works great if you’re feeding a crowd and want something to round out the plate. For a fresh contrast to the rich chicken, try adding a simple coleslaw or cucumber salad on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: Let the chicken and veggies cool down completely, then transfer them to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to keep the chicken pieces separate from the veggies if I have room, since they reheat a bit differently.

Freeze: These foil packet meals are great for freezing! Once cooled, you can either keep them in the foil packets wrapped in freezer bags, or transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Just label them with the date so you remember what’s in there.

Reheat: Warm up your chicken in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through, or use the microwave for a quicker option. If you’re reheating from frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first for the best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1200
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 50-60 g

Ingredients

For the dry rub:

• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp paprika (I use McCormick Smoked Paprika for a deeper flavor)
• 0.5 tsp onion powder

For the foil packets:

• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 drumsticks
• 3 cups mixed vegetables (I prefer Birds Eye frozen florets for consistency)

For the glaze:

• 0.75 cup bbq sauce (I always use Sweet Baby Ray’s for the best caramelization)

Step 1: Prepare the Seasoning Blend and Mise en Place

• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp onion powder

Combine salt, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl to create your dry seasoning blend.

Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about 12×18 inches each) and lay them flat on your work surface.

This prep work takes just 2 minutes but ensures smooth assembly when you’re ready to build the packets.

Step 2: Season the Chicken and Assemble the Foil Packets

• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 drumsticks
• seasoning blend from Step 1
• 3 cups mixed vegetables

Pat the chicken thighs and drumsticks dry with paper towels, then generously coat all pieces with the dry seasoning blend from Step 1, making sure to season both sides.

On each foil sheet, create a bed of about 3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables in the center, then place one thigh and one drumstick on top of the vegetables.

I like to keep the vegetables frozen—they thaw and steam perfectly during cooking without getting mushy.

Step 3: Add Sauce and Seal the Packets

• 0.5 cup bbq sauce

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce over the chicken and vegetables on each foil packet (using about 3/4 cup total for this stage).

Bring the long sides of each foil sheet up and fold them together tightly, then fold down the short ends to create a secure, sealed packet.

Make sure the seams are folded tightly so steam stays trapped inside.

Step 4: Bake the Sealed Packets

Place all 4 sealed foil packets on a baking sheet and slide into the preheated 425°F oven.

Bake for 50-55 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F when tested with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.

The foil packets trap steam, creating a moist cooking environment that keeps the chicken tender and the vegetables perfectly steamed.

Step 5: Open Packets, Add Final Sauce, and Finish

• 0.25 cup bbq sauce

Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and open each foil packet (watch out for escaping steam).

Divide the remaining BBQ sauce among the 4 packets, drizzling about 2 tablespoons over the chicken and vegetables in each one.

Return the opened packets to the oven and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes to caramelize the final sauce layer.

I always use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce because it caramelizes beautifully in those final minutes without burning.

Best Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks in Foil Packets

Delicious Best Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks in Foil Packets recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1125 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dry rub::

• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.75 tsp garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp paprika (I use McCormick Smoked Paprika for a deeper flavor)
• 0.5 tsp onion powder

For the foil packets::

• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 drumsticks
• 3 cups mixed vegetables (I prefer Birds Eye frozen florets for consistency)

For the glaze::

• 0.75 cup bbq sauce (I always use Sweet Baby Ray's for the best caramelization)

Instructions

 

• Combine salt, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl to create your dry seasoning blend. Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about 12x18 inches each) and lay them flat on your work surface. This prep work takes just 2 minutes but ensures smooth assembly when you're ready to build the packets.
• Pat the chicken thighs and drumsticks dry with paper towels, then generously coat all pieces with the dry seasoning blend from Step 1, making sure to season both sides. On each foil sheet, create a bed of about 3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables in the center, then place one thigh and one drumstick on top of the vegetables. I like to keep the vegetables frozen—they thaw and steam perfectly during cooking without getting mushy.
• Preheat your oven to 425°F. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce over the chicken and vegetables on each foil packet (using about 3/4 cup total for this stage). Bring the long sides of each foil sheet up and fold them together tightly, then fold down the short ends to create a secure, sealed packet. Make sure the seams are folded tightly so steam stays trapped inside.
• Place all 4 sealed foil packets on a baking sheet and slide into the preheated 425°F oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F when tested with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. The foil packets trap steam, creating a moist cooking environment that keeps the chicken tender and the vegetables perfectly steamed.
• Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and open each foil packet (watch out for escaping steam). Divide the remaining BBQ sauce among the 4 packets, drizzling about 2 tablespoons over the chicken and vegetables in each one. Return the opened packets to the oven and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes to caramelize the final sauce layer. I always use Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce because it caramelizes beautifully in those final minutes without burning.