Roasted Garlic & Feta Chicken Pasta (Printable)

A comforting Greek-inspired pasta blending roasted chicken, caramelized garlic, and creamy feta for a vibrant Mediterranean meal.

# What Goes In:

→ 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

# How to Make It:

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 - Slice roasted chicken into strips.
06 - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add baby spinach and sauté until wilted, about 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 -
  • The roasted garlic becomes sweet and mellow, nothing like raw garlic's bite, so even skeptics will ask for seconds.
  • It comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon.
  • Feta melts into creamy pockets throughout the pasta, creating little bursts of salty, tangy joy.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; it's the secret to loosening the sauce to exactly the right consistency without adding anything heavy or cream-based.
  • The roasted garlic must be completely soft and golden, not just warm; undercooked garlic will taste bitter and won't mash into that creamy texture.
03 -
  • Make the roasted garlic sauce ahead of time; it keeps in the refrigerator for three days and actually tastes better the next day as flavors meld together.
  • Don't rush the roasting step; those extra minutes transform raw garlic into something truly special that makes the whole dish sing.
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