This 3o minute chicken feta pasta recipe is a hearty, filling, and oh so delicious one pan dinner! Serve this dish for your family on those busy weeknights that call for an extra simple dinner.
Chicken Feta Pasta
Make this 30 minutes one pan dish for an easy, healthy, and hearty weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz block of feta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 1 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 12 oz pasta of choice, cooked to al dente and kept warm
- Spinach (optional)
- Parmesan for serving (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 and bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
- Next, cut up 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized chunks.
- In a 9x13 baking dish, arrange the feta block in the middle with the spinach, cherry tomatoes, chicken chunks and pesto around it.
- Drizzle everything with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the feta has softened/melted and the cherry tomatoes are blistered.
- While the dish is baking, cook the pasta until al dente, about 5-7 minutes for most pasta.
- Once the dish is done baking, remove from the oven and mash up the feta and cherry tomatoes with the back of a fork. Stir everything together.
- Add the noodles and stir again to combine.
- Top with parmesan and enjoy!
Notes
- If the pesto sauce is too thick, reserve about ½ -1 cup of pasta water and add that to the dish to thin it out.
- Use a meat thermometer to be sure that the chicken chunks are fully cooked through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 394Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 547mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 28g
How To Make Chicken Feta Pasta
First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Also, fill a large pot with water and a generous sprinkle of salt. Set the pot over high heat and let it come to a boil while you do the following steps.
Start by chopping up 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite size chunks.
After that, grab your 9x13 baking dish and arrange the pesto, chicken chunks, feta, spinach, and cherry tomatoes in the dish. It works best to put the feta chunk in the middle and arrange the additional ingredients around it.
Then, drizzle everything with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes until the block of feta is softened, enough to be smashed, and the cherry tomatoes are blistered. Furthermore, use a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken chunks are fully cooked through.
While that's baking, add your pasta to the pot of boiling water. Bring the heat down to medium low and cook 5-7 minutes until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water to thin out your sauce if needed.
Once the dish is done baking, remove it from the oven and mash the feta with the back of a fork. You can also gently mash the blistered tomatoes.
At this point, the noodles should be done cooking. So, drain the noodles in a strainer and then add them to the 9x13 baking dish. Use a spatula or spoon to mix everything together.
Finally, sprinkle everything with freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish. Chicken feta pasta is delicious all on its own, but pair it with a homemade caesar salad for an elevated dinner!
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Tips to Make Chicken Feta Pasta
- If the feta pesto sauce is too thick, reserve ½ cup of pasta water to thin it out. Only add 1 tbs at a time to make sure it doesn't get too thin.
- Use a pasta that is rolled or curled so that it can hang on to the sauce and the flavor!
- To make this an even quicker dish, prep the chicken ahead of time. During a weekly meal prep, cook the chicken breast in the crockpot on high for 4-6 hours with about one cup of chicken broth (water can work too, broth will add more flavor, though). Shred the chicken once it's done cooking. Instead of adding the chicken to the pan to bake, you'll let the spinach, pasta, feta and pesto bake and then add the chicken before serving. Make sure you warm the chicken again before adding it to the dish!
Ingredients You'll Need
Feta Block
Cherry Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Pasta of Choice
Chicken Breast
Pesto (homemade or store bought)- I like the Rao's Homemade brand!
Spinach
Salt
Pepper
Tools You Will Need
Medium Sized Pot
Chopping Knife- My absolute favorite kitchen knife brand is CutCo!
Why You'll Love Chicken Feta Pasta
It's a one pot meal. Dishes that only use one pan are very quick, easy and efficient for busy wives and moms. With this recipe, it's possible to still get a healthy and delicious meal on the table without spending too much time on it!
Switch up the ingredients easily. Chicken feta pasta can be made to be whatever you desire. Swap out chicken for turkey, sausage or even beef. Leave out the pesto or spinach. Switch up what kind of pasta you use. It's super versatile!
Also, It can be made quickly. All you need to do is throw the ingredients into a baking dish and let the oven do the work!
Additionally, nutrition isn't sacrificed. This easy recipe includes protein, nutrients, and fresh veggies which is all you need!
Simple Chicken Feta Pasta Ingredient Swaps & Add Ins
Chicken Breast- There's so many other meats that could be added to this dish instead of chicken breast! Use chicken tenders as well, also cut into bite size pieces. Ground meat such as ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground sausage will work, too. Cook ground meats in a separate dish and then add them when everything is mixed together.
Pasta- Mostly any kind of pasta will work with this recipe! I like using Fusilli, Bucatini, Penne, Rigatoni or others similar to those kinds. They are great for rich sauces and have ribbed or indented surfaces to really help the sauce stick.
Cherry Tomatoes- If you're not a big tomato fan, other veggies can be used in this chicken feta pasta instead! Try diced zucchini, onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms.
Pesto- The pesto could be totally omitted if you prefer not to have that flavor profile in the dish. If you prefer tomato based
How To Store Chicken Feta Pasta
The best way to store chicken feta pasta is in a glass or stainless steel non toxic food container. This will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Simply reheat in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until warmed through.
Chicken Feta Pasta FAQs
Does chicken go with feta pasta?
Yes, baked chicken feta pasta is a delicious, one pot meal recipe. Bake a block of feta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, pesto, and chicken at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Mix with al dente cooked noodles and serve!
What meat goes best with feta?
Chicken is the best meat to go with feta. Turkey is another great meat to serve/pair with feta.
What can I make for dinner with feta?
Tonight, make a chicken feta pasta bake for dinner by baking chicken, feta, cherry tomatoes, spinach and pesto at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Mix with al dente cooked noodles.
Does feta cheese melt well?
Feta cheese does melt very well, resulting in a creamy and gooey texture!
Chicken Recipe FAQs
What can I cook for dinner tonight with chicken?
- Chicken feta pasta with pesto
- Sourdough fried chicken
- Sticky chicken thighs
- Crispy baked chicken thighs
- Chicken pie with biscuits
- Caprese stuffed chicken breast
- Chicken caesar wrap
What's a good lazy dinner?
One pot chicken feta pasta is a great lazy dinner. Bake one block of feta, chopped chicken breast, fresh spinach, pesto and cherry tomatoes in a 9x13 baking dish for 30-40 minutes at 375. Mix with al dente cooked noodles and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
What to pair with chicken for dinner?
What are the most popular chicken dishes?
- Chicken pie
- Fried chicken
- Chicken pie with biscuits
- Grilled chicken
- Chicken noodle soup
- Baked chicken
- Chicken feta pasta bake
- Sticky chicken thighs
- Chicken tacos
- Chicken with rice
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