Creamy Lemon Feta Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and pasta in a silky lemon cream sauce with tangy feta and Parmesan—a vibrant Greek-inspired dinner ready in 40 minutes.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Chicken

02 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb), cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
09 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/4 cup chicken broth
11 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Season chicken pieces with oregano, salt, and pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Whisk feta and Parmesan into the sauce until completely melted and sauce achieves creamy consistency.
07 - Return chicken to the skillet. Add drained pasta and toss to coat thoroughly, gradually adding reserved pasta water if sauce appears too thick.
08 - Stir in parsley and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional crumbled feta, fresh parsley, or fresh lemon zest if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The lemon cuts through the cream in a way that keeps you reaching for another forkful instead of feeling weighed down.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is surprisingly easy for how impressive it looks.
  • Feta melts into the sauce and creates these little pockets of tangy richness that make every bite different.
  • It works just as well on a Tuesday night as it does when you have friends over and want to look like you know what you are doing.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, I forgot once and had to add plain water which made the sauce watery instead of silky.
  • Don't let the sauce boil hard after adding the cheese or it will separate and look grainy instead of smooth.
  • Cut the chicken into smaller pieces than you think, big chunks make it harder to get a balanced forkful.
03 -
  • Use a block of feta packed in brine, it melts smoother and tastes fresher than the pre crumbled kind.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, trying to do it afterward is awkward and you'll lose half the zest.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta and adjust the lemon or salt, it's easier to fix when it's still just sauce.
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