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Baked Feta Pasta with Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 96 reviews

This Baked Feta Pasta with Chicken is a creamy, delicious one-dish meal that combines juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy baked feta, and tender seasoned chicken breasts with your favorite pasta. Baked in the oven to melt the feta and roast the tomatoes, then combined with pasta and shredded chicken, it creates a rich and flavorful dinner perfect for any night of the week.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta & Baking Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb Gigli Pasta, or your favorite small pasta
  • 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, the riper the better
  • 1 bundle Thyme sprigs, or basil, rosemary, oregano
  • 2 cloves fresh Garlic
  • 1 block Feta Cheese, about 8 oz
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Kosher Salt, to taste
  • Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Chicken

  • 2, 6 oz Chicken Breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the dish.
  2. Prepare Baking Dish: Add the cherry tomatoes, thyme sprigs, garlic cloves, block of feta cheese, and the seasoned chicken breasts to a baking dish. Drizzle 1/2 cup of olive oil evenly over everything, then season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss gently to coat all ingredients with oil and seasoning.
  3. Bake Initial Stage: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C), ensuring it is fully cooked.
  4. Cook Pasta: While the dish bakes, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta and setting it aside.
  5. Finish Baking: After the initial baking time, check the chicken for doneness. If the chicken is done or nearly done, increase the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C) and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the feta and tomatoes develop a nice browned appearance. If needed, finish under a high broiler for 3 to 5 minutes to achieve desired browning.
  6. Combine Pasta and Feta: Remove the baking dish from the oven and take out the chicken breasts, thyme bundle, and garlic cloves. Add the cooked pasta and red pepper flakes into the baking dish and stir well. The feta cheese will break down during stirring, creating a creamy sauce that coats the pasta and tomatoes perfectly.
  7. Shred Chicken: Shred the cooked chicken breasts by hand or place them in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Include the roasted garlic cloves to mix evenly into the shredded chicken for extra flavor.
  8. Combine Chicken and Finish: Add the shredded chicken back into the creamy pasta mixture in the baking dish. Stir everything together until well combined. Finish by garnishing with fresh chives and extra feta crumbles, then season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Notes

  • Use fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes for the best flavor and sweetness.
  • Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
  • Monitoring internal chicken temperature is crucial to ensure safety and prevent overcooking.
  • Substitute thyme with basil or oregano according to preference.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, shredding chicken by hand works just fine.
  • Adding a bit of crushed red pepper flakes gives a subtle heat, but adjust to your taste.

Keywords: Baked feta pasta, chicken pasta, Mediterranean recipe, creamy pasta, oven-baked pasta, feta cheese pasta, one dish meal, easy dinner

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/baked-feta-pasta-with-chicken-recipe/