As someone who lacks self control around her spice cabinet, this 5 Ingredient Chicken Feta Pasta felt radically unsound. Surely, an easy chicken pasta recipe that’s made in ONE pan with only FIVE things I already had in my pantry couldn’t possibly have great flavor, pleasing texture, and be a dish that my husband would request on repeat?
I should restrain myself to five ingredients more often. Not only did this chicken feta pasta taste outstanding, it was ready in 30 minutes and made fantastic leftovers too!
About This Simple Chicken Feta Pasta
The wizard behind this five-ingredient magic is friend and fellow blogger Phi. Her cookbook Five Ingredient Recipes: A Cookbook for Busy People is officially on shelves, and I could not be more proud of her.
Phi lives in Milwaukee and was one of the first people to welcome me to the city nearly two years ago. Since before I met her, Phi had a dream to write a cookbook, and it’s been incredibly inspiring to watch her make those dreams come true.
A few weeks ago, she hosted a book launch party in downtown Milwaukee, and it was PACKED. On the menu: nine different recipes from her book, and, folks, let me tell you: we all need to restrain ourselves to five ingredients more often. Every single one was outstanding!
When I was paging through the book to find a recipe to share with you here, what caught my eye about this chicken feta pasta (aside from the fact that it looked delicious), was the little blurb Phi included above the recipe. This dish is the first meal she cooked for her husband Nick, and is still one of his all-time favorites. If Phi’s taste-tester #1 approved, I knew we would too.
And we DEFINITELY approved.
How to Store and Reheat This Dish
- To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat gently in the microwave with a light splash of water, chicken stock, or tomato pasta sauce to keep from drying out.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Broccoli Ziti
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Cauliflower Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta with Peas
- Cheesy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
The only changes to the recipe I made were to use whole wheat pasta noodles, and sprinkle a little fresh basil I had sitting on my counter over the top. This dish is creamy, healthy, and ready-to-go in a snap. What more could I wish for?
5 Ingredient Chicken Feta Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless breasts, split in half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano (14.5-ounce cans)
- 2 cups water
- 1 pound whole wheat fettuccini pasta or substitute another long, straight pasta such as spaghetti
- 4 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese divided
- Finely chopped fresh basil optional
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the olive oil over high for 1 minute, then add the chicken breast halves. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Cook the chicken on one side for 8 minutes, moving it around in the pan a little to prevent sticking, but not too much, so that a nice crust will form. Lower the heat as needed if the chicken seems to be cooking too quickly. Flip, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, then cook for 5 additional minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the diced tomatoes and water. Stir in the pasta and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover and let cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir, then add three-quarters of the feta. Stir once more, then let cook uncovered for 5 additional minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with the remaining feta cheese and fresh basil.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave with a light splash of water, chicken stock, or tomato pasta sauce to keep from drying out.
Nutrition
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I don’t have diced canned tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano But I have tomato sauce & tomato paste and the seasoning separately.. would this still turn out okay?
If so how much garlic , basil and oregano should I use?
Hi Hamlet! While I haven’t tried it myself, another reader has done this with success. She added about 2 teaspoons total of garlic and the herbs. I think you could certainly adjust the amount to suit your tastes. I hope this helps and that you enjoy the recipe!
Made this recipe exactly as written. Didn’t turn out too well. The pasta was stuck together in a gelatinous mass and ruined the whole thing. Kinda tasted like wallpaper paste—or what I imagine wallpaper paste would taste like. Maybe less pasta, or more liquid or cook the pasta separately and add to the chicken and sauce? Not sure, but I think I’ll pass on this one.
I’m sorry that this didn’t turn out as you hoped, Sue. It’s so hard to say what might’ve happened without being in the kitchen with you. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed the recipe, so I truly wish you would’ve too!
I made this the other day for a family lunch, I marinated the chicken with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning for about two hours before cooking.
I didn’t have the diced tomatoes so I used cherry tomatoes but I did have some lovely tomato paste which seemed to work well. But this recipe is so easy and delicious to make, I absolutely loved it!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Shilpa! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This recipe completely ruined my nice Dutch Oven. What a horrible way to cook this dish. One of the worst recipes, truly.
I’m sorry you had trouble with this recipe, Spence. Unfortunately, it’s so hard to say what might’ve gone wrong without being in the kitchen with you. Could you be a little more specific on how the recipe itself ruined your pot? Myself (and others) have had success in making this pasta, so I wish it would of been a hit for you.
We liked this a lot.
It was time for dinner and the chicken breasts were frozen, so I substituted some chicken fajita meat that I had. I browned it in the skillet. I just had Penne pasta, so I boiled it in a separate pan and added it. That meant I did not add the water to the recipe. I had a can of ripe olives and added them.
I truly believe the cans of tomatoes with the spices are the great secret to this recipe. We’ll make it again! Very good!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Peggy! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I don’t have a Dutch Oven but do have a large deep skillet that looks like a wok with lid. Will this work?
Hi John! Any large pot with a lid should work! Hope that helps! Let me know if you try it!
This was delish! I have to admit I changed a couple things. I added chopped yellow bell pepper and onion after chicken was cooked. Then added the can tomatoes and half my feta. Left covered on low while I cooked the pasta. Added pasta and about 1 cup of pasta water to chicken mixture. Added rest of feta (used a total of a 6 oz package of sun-dried tomato basil flavor) SO yummy! Thanks for the recipe!! A new favorite!
HI Michelle! So glad the changes worked out for you! Thank you for this kind review!
I wish I had seen your review. I made this recipe last night. The flavors were delicious, but the pasta turned out horrible. Pasta was not meant to be cooked this way, but I did try it. As I expected, it did not have the flavor of properly cooked pasta. It was edible, but barely. I already noted on my printed copy to boil the pasta separately next time. Also, it definitely needed a flavor boost, so I added some fresh garlic and more herbs. With some changes, the recipe will be delicious. Note to others: Boil pasta separately!
I’m sorry that this didn’t turn out as you hoped, Rhonda. It’s so hard to say what might’ve happened without being in the kitchen with you. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed the recipe, so I truly wish you would’ve too!
Loved this recipe! I used lentil pasta spirals and at the end threw in some cooked mushrooms halved and a big handful of baby spinach as i didnt have fresh basil … so tasty!! Will definitely be making again… I did use more liquid than stated (although i used home made chicken stock instead of water)
Hi Diane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Going to make this tonight but add my own twist of black olives , spinach and I will blacken the chicken for that extra flavor . Plus I will add alit of fresh garlic . Excited to try ! I use to work for a Greek restaurant so feta is something I live but wonderful paired w/ garlic and black olives
Hi Catherine! Hope you enjoy it!
I made this tonight and while I enjoyed it, I would’ve made same changes. The cooking time for the pasta was way too long and I think more liquid or tomato sauce would’ve made it less dry? Because the pasta was all stuck together and not saucy enough for my taste. But it was easy and will def try it again
Hi Lily! So glad you enjoyed the pasta! Thank you for this kind review and feedback!
I was asked to cook dinner at the last minute, so made this with what I had on hand. I used two cans of whole tomatoes since I didn’t have the diced, and I added fresh spices to make up for not being in the cans.
Some notes: I would cook the pasta separately next time. and mix it in. The cook five minutes + ten minutes overcooked the pasta.
Adding the cheese made a sort of a reasonable sauce, but it was lacking overall. I grated in some parmesan cheese to boost the “cheesiness” of the sauce and tossed in a couple of handfuls of frozen spinach. Lastly I added a couple of tablespoons of yogurt for creaminess.
Hi Alan! If you happen to get a chance to make the recipe as directed I do hope you will enjoy it. It’s so tasty as is!
could you please also put weights in grams.
Hi Kathleen, I’m sorry I don’t have an experience with using grams. This is my favorite kitchen scale that might help you with conversions: http://amzn.to/1HZiioX
This was awful. I knew I should have cooked my pasta separately! Thankfully I added onions, garlic, and olives for flavor, but I won’t be following this recipe again.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Nicole. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it, so I truly wish it would have been a hit for you.
Very tasty! Seeing all the folks who had trouble with it… I’m wondering if they didn’t use enough water… I ended up using about 3 cups when it was all said and done. I also added some chicken broth which was great!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Brittany! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was my first time trying a one pot meal and I am (tentatively) sold! To those of you commenting that the pasta didn’t turn out, it takes a little trial and error to know how to get the liquid ratio right and to turn off the heat before it starts to burn and stick. I learned this the hard way but I was (almost) prepared because I’m gluten free so I was expecting a mishap anyway! I salvaged most of it, though, and it turned out definitely edible! I know what not to do next time, at any rate. It did help to do a little research on one pot pasta meals, though. That might be helpful in a recipe note. Watching it closely instead of relying on the timer and erring on the side of al dente helps, too. I will probably marinate the chicken next time but overall I think one pot pasta meals are my new favorite!
Hi Sarah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback!
Just made this recipe tonight, as my wife has a Costco amount of feta! I used 2 cans diced tomatoes and added my own garlic, basil, and oregano. I also used gluten-free rotini which soaked up the sauce nicely. I added baby spinach at the end. Overall, my wife said I should make it again (high praise!). When I make this again, I will remove the chicken after its cooked before adding the pasta, then add it back at the end after adding spinach. Also, don’t forget to sauté the pasta for a couple minutes before adding liquid. Thanks so much!!
Hi Mic! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this last night. While it tasted pretty good, some parts of the recipe were vexing.
There wasn’t much room in the pot for the fettuccine to get down into the liquid with the chicken still in the pot. Removing the chicken to a plate helped and still got the fond at the bottom of the pan into the dish.
It would help to have a sense of what heat to use once the pasta is added. Boil? Boil, then reduce to a simmer? Medium the whole time? I also had problems with the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot and kept reducing the temp to prevent this, but then the noodles were not as well cooked as I would have liked.
I’ll try this again, because the flavors were interesting, but with some adjustments to the pasta cooking.
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, LR. The recipe has worked well for myself (and others) but I know how frustrating it can be to try a new recipe and not have it work out, so I really wish you would’ve enjoyed it!
On the positive side, this tasted delicious. However, it was a gluey mess! I used capellini which I broke in half, and eventually added 2 extra cups of water, but the pasta still clumped unappealingly. If I make this again, I’ll try a short, tubular pasta (such as penne). I don’t think the flat pasta is an appropriate choice.
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Neva. The recipe has worked well for myself (and others) but I know how frustrating it can be to try a new recipe and not have it work out, so I really wish you would’ve enjoyed it!
Love this! Come back to it any time I need something quick, easy and delicious!
Hi Rhys! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Has anyone made this recipe in the crock pot? I bought the ingredients thinking it was a crockpot recipe😢
Hi Barbara! You could probably adapt it for the slow cooker, I just have never tried it. It only takes about 35 minutes or less and you could prep most of the ingredients ahead of time. Hope this helps!