Description
This Baked Feta Pasta with Chicken recipe combines tender chicken breasts with creamy baked feta and burst cherry tomatoes, all tossed with gigli pasta and aromatic herbs. The dish is baked to perfection, resulting in a comforting, flavorful pasta dinner that’s creamy, tangy, and satisfying with a touch of heat from red pepper flakes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1/2 lb Gigli Pasta (or your favorite small pasta)
Vegetables & Herbs
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, the riper the better
- 1 bundle Thyme sprigs (or substitute basil, rosemary, oregano)
- 2 cloves fresh Garlic
Dairy
- 1 block Feta Cheese, about 8oz
Protein
- 2, 6oz Chicken Breasts, seasoned with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Condiments & Seasonings
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Kosher Salt, to taste
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400˚F to prepare for baking the chicken, tomatoes, and feta.
- Prepare Baking Dish: In a baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, thyme sprigs, garlic cloves, the block of feta cheese, and the seasoned chicken breasts. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the ingredients. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then toss gently to coat everything thoroughly.
- Bake Initial Stage: Bake the dish for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160˚F, ensuring it is fully cooked and juicy.
- Cook Pasta: While the baking proceeds, cook the gigli pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining, then set the pasta aside.
- Brown Feta and Tomatoes: Once the chicken is nearly done, increase the oven temperature to 450˚F and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until the feta and tomatoes take on a golden-brown color. If needed, finish under a high broiler for 3 to 5 minutes to achieve additional browning.
- Remove Chicken and Herbs: Carefully take the baking dish out of the oven. Remove the cooked chicken breasts, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves from the dish and set aside.
- Create Creamy Sauce: Add the cooked pasta and crushed red pepper flakes to the baking dish. Stir vigorously to break up the baked feta, which will melt into a creamy sauce that coats the pasta and tomatoes.
- Shred Chicken and Combine: Shred the cooked chicken breasts either by hand or using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Include the roasted garlic cloves during shredding to integrate their flavor evenly. Add the shredded chicken back into the pasta mixture and stir well to combine.
- Final Touches: Garnish the pasta with fresh chopped chives and extra crumbles of feta cheese. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper if desired, then serve warm.
Notes
- If the pasta becomes too thick or dry, gradually add reserved pasta water 1/2 cup at a time to loosen it and keep it warm and creamy.
- The choice of small pasta shapes like gigli helps the sauce cling well to each piece.
- For a milder heat, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Ensure the chicken reaches 160˚F internally for food safety and optimal juiciness.
- Using fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes enhances sweetness and flavor depth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
