Last Updated on December 12, 2025
Mediterranean Chicken En Papillote – Chicken Parcels:
Cooking en papillote is a great method for anyone trying to eat healthy food or to diet, whether you are following a diet like me or not. Essentially, your fish, vegetables, or meat are put into a foil or parchment pouch with whatever seasoning you fancy, then cooked in the oven in their own juices. Because you don’t need to add oil or fats unless you want to for flavour, you save calories – and because the parcel is sealed, all the flavour stays in the pouch. And, with ingredients like chicken breasts, which are low-fat in the first place, the method helps to make sure that the meat doesn’t dry out.
It’s also very easy and something that works as well for one or two as it does for a whole family. As it is summer, I’ve picked a whole range of Mediterranean ingredients to make this dish perfect at this time of year
I use parchment-lined foil, which you can get from Lakeland. But, if you prefer, you can simply cut out two squares of foil and parchment and lay the parchment on top of the foil. You can even make your parcels with just parchment, though I find it hard to get the seal which is needed to make a perfect papillote.
I’ve been sent a whole selection of meat from West Coast Foods in Scotland, who have developed a special ‘Skinni range’ which is perfect for those of us following the 5:2 diet or just trying to eat a healthy, low-fat diet. I’ve started cooking with the Chicken Breasts because they have the shortest shelf life, but I’m looking forward to enjoying more of their products over the next few days. This recipe for chicken en papillote was my supper on my last 5:2 diet fast day, and it turned out so beautifully succulent and delicious that I thought I’d share it with you.
Depending on the weight of your chicken breast, one serving of Mediterranean chicken en papillote should be around 249 calories. That allows for 125g of chicken – if you want more, then you’ll need to add in the extra calories (100g of raw skinless chicken breast is around 105 calories)
And, I’d happily eat this on a non-fast day too, though I might add a few baby new potatoes into the pouch. It’s super easy – and there’s very little washing up because the pouch keeps the oven and the baking tray nice and clean!
Chicken en Papillote
Ingredients
- 1 small chicken breast
- 1 clove garlic
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 courgette zucchini if you are in the US
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 handful summer herbs I used lemon balm and thyme
- 6-8 pitted olives
- 1 tsp capers
Instructions
- Set the oven to 185C
- Slice the cherry tomatoes and olives in half and slice the courgette into thin rounds about 1/4 inch thick
- Remove the woody stalks from the herbs and chop finely
- Chop the garlic finely and mix together with the herbs and sumac. Season the mixture with salt and pepper
- Cut a square of foil lined parchment about 12 inches long. Fold it along the middle and then unfold
- lay out the courgettes along the fold of the foil to one side. They can overlap a bit, but make sure to leave space to seal the parcel on every side.
- Make a pocket in the chicken breast and stuff with half the herb mixture
- Lay the chicken breast on top of the courgettes, then sprinkle over the remaining herb mixture
- Add the tomatoes, capers and olives over and around the chicken breast
- Seal up the Papillote carefully by folding over and crimping the edges
- Place on a baking tray in the oven and cook for 25 minutes
- Unfold carefully and serve with chopped parsley to garnish if you like
Notes
Nutrition
Do try this recipe for yourself. Chicken en papillote is an easy, healthy option that I’m sure you will love. In the meantime, why not pin this post for later
I wouldn’t advise cooking this recipe in advance or freezing it. But, you can make up the ingredients in the morning and just pop the chicken into its pouch and then into the oven once you are ready to cook in the evening. And, please feel free to change the recipes around by varying the vegetables as much as you like.
Disclosure: I was sent a range of skinni meat to review by West Coast Foods, but all content is editorially given
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