Roasted Garlic & Feta Chicken Pasta (Print View)

Tender roasted chicken with sweet garlic and creamy feta in a light savory sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garlic

06 - 1 large head garlic
07 - 1 teaspoon olive oil

→ Pasta

08 - 12 ounces short pasta (penne or rigatoni)

→ Sauce & Assembly

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
11 - 7 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
13 - 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
14 - Zest of 1 lemon
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
17 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until soft and golden.
02 - Rub chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast alongside the garlic for 22 to 25 minutes until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
03 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain in a colander.
04 - In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, allowing them to soften and blister.
05 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the skillet. Mash gently and stir into the tomatoes and onions. Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Add drained pasta and sliced chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for desired creaminess.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in crumbled feta, lemon zest, parsley, and dill. Season with additional black pepper as desired.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra feta cheese and fresh herbs.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic transforms into something creamy and sweet, nothing like raw garlic's sharp bite, and it does most of the work for you.
  • It feels elegant enough to serve guests, but honest enough to eat alone on a Tuesday night when you need something that tastes like care.
02 -
  • Don't add the feta until the very end and keep the heat low—if it gets too hot, the cheese becomes grainy and separates, losing that creamy quality that makes people love it.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain it or you'll find yourself stuck without it, and there's something about starch that no amount of added liquid can quite replicate in terms of coating and binding the dish together.
03 -
  • If you have an extra hour before cooking, marinate the chicken in lemon juice and oregano—it adds another layer of flavor and keeps the meat even more tender.
  • The secret to creamy sauce without cream is that starchy pasta water; don't skip saving it, and add it slowly so you don't overshoot and end up with soup.
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