Roasted Garlic & Feta Chicken Pasta (Print View)

Mediterranean pasta with roasted chicken, caramelized garlic, and tangy feta in a creamy sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meat & Dairy

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 5.3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
03 - 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

→ Pasta

04 - 12.3 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Vegetables

05 - 2 whole garlic bulbs
06 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 5.3 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 3.5 oz baby spinach

→ Pantry & Seasonings

09 - 3 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes, optional
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste
14 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice tops off garlic bulbs, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30 minutes until soft and golden.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Place on baking tray with sliced red onion and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
03 - Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
04 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins into large bowl. Mash with fork. Add Greek yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk together to form creamy sauce, thinning with reserved pasta water as needed.
05 - Once cooled slightly, slice roasted chicken into strips.
06 - In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add baby spinach and sauté until wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
07 - Add cooked pasta, roasted onion, cherry tomatoes, chicken, and mashed garlic sauce to skillet. Toss well to combine and heat through.
08 - Remove from heat, stir in crumbled feta, and toss gently.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and extra feta if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Roasted garlic transforms into something entirely different—sweet, mellow, and luxuriously creamy without any harshness.
  • The whole meal comes together in under an hour, with most of the time spent letting the oven do the work while you relax.
  • Feta and lemon brighten everything up, creating that tangy Mediterranean feeling that makes you feel transported.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pasta water—it's the difference between a sauce that clings to the pasta and one that separates; the starch is your ally.
  • Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves gently and they'll slip right out of their skins like butter, but if you rush and squeeze too hard, you'll get pieces of skin mixed in, which ruins the silky texture.
03 -
  • If your roasted garlic feels less soft than you'd like, give it an extra 5 minutes in the oven—it continues to soften and sweeten.
  • Toss the pasta with the sauce while it's still hot off the heat; the warmth helps the flavors marry and prevents the sauce from seizing up when it cools.
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