Chicken feta pasta with pesto is a filling, warm and cozy dish for any season of the year! You'll find our easy, one pot recipe just below.
How To Make Chicken Feta Pasta
First, preheat your oven to 375. Additionally, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat.
Start by chopping up 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite size chunks.
Second, in a 9x13 baking dish, place the block of feta in the middle with the cherry tomatoes, chicken chunks, fresh spinach, and pesto around it. To make your own pesto, follow this recipe from Love and Lemons!
After that, drizzle everything with a bit of olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the block of feta is melty and softened and the cherry tomatoes are blistered. Furthermore, 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.
Next, once the dish is done baking, use the back of a fork to mash the block of feta and cherry tomatoes. Then, mix all of the ingredients together until combined.
At this point, the noodles should be done cooking. So, add them into the chicken feta pasta, too. If the pesto sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
Finally, enjoy this creamy, zesty chicken feta pasta with some crusty homemade no knead bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese!
Tips to Make the Best Chicken Feta Pasta
- Shred the chicken using a hand mixer or stand mixer. It's much more simple and easy!
- A great way to make easily shreddable chicken is in the crockpot. Put 2-4 chicken breast in the crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours until tender. Or, cook a whole chicken in the crockpot on low for 8 hours and watch the chicken fall off the bone!
- Pesto goes best with longer types of pasta. Examples of this would be fettuccine, a thin spaghetti, bucatini, capellini, and even a corkscrew shape of fusilli.
- Reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water when you cook the noodles. Pasta water can help thin out the sauce of this chicken feta pasta dish if needed!
Ingredients For Chicken Feta Pasta
Feta block
Cherry tomatoes (as many as you want to add in)
Olive oil
Pasta of choice
Chicken breast
Pesto (homemade or storebought)
Spinach (optional)
Tools You Will Need
9x13 baking dish
Medium sized pot
Large saucepan/skillet
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 cook!
Additionally, nutrition isn't sacrificed. This easy recipe includes protein, nutrients, and fresh veggies which is all you need!
Chicken Feta Pasta
Chicken feta pasta is a quick, easy and healthy one pot meal, perfect for weeknight dinners when you're in a pinch!
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.
- 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
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 20-25 minutes at 375. Mix with al dente cooked noodles.
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
More Chicken Dinner Ideas
Sticky Chicken Thighs
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
Chicken Pie With Biscuits
Summary
As a busy mama often caught up in dishes, housework, reading books to my toddler and connecting with my husband, I love easy meals like this one.
Taking my time on an artisan meal is fun, but I need quick and easy meals in this specific season of life. Crockpot Italian wedding soup, for example, is a great option. Crockpot French dip sandwiches are another simple meal idea!
Above all, I want to feed my family nutritious meals that will satisfy their tastebuds and their bellies. You may think that's impossible to do with a simple, one pot meal, but clearly it's not!
Try this chicken feta pasta recipe and you'll also find just how easy getting dinner on the table for your family can be.
Another reason why I love this recipe is because I can use up fresh cherry tomatoes, spinach and basil from my garden! In fact, growing your own veggies can be very cost effective!
In Conclusion
If you loved this recipe, then I'd love it if you rated it 5 starts and left a comment below! Don't forget to share this easy, chicken feta pasta recipe with friends and family to help those busy mamas get a delicious meal on the table!
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