Creamy Lemon Feta Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken pieces and penne tossed in a velvety lemon cream sauce with crumbled feta, Parmesan, and aromatic garlic.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, 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 crumbled feta cheese
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, season chicken pieces evenly with oregano, salt, and pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer 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 over medium heat.
06 - Reduce heat to low and whisk in crumbled feta and grated Parmesan until fully melted and sauce reaches a smooth, creamy consistency.
07 - Return chicken to the skillet and add drained pasta. Toss thoroughly to coat with sauce, adding reserved pasta water in small increments if the sauce becomes too thick.
08 - Stir in fresh parsley and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Transfer to serving bowls immediately. Garnish with extra feta cheese, fresh parsley, or lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you're eating dinner before 7 PM.
  • The lemon keeps everything light and fresh despite the cream, so you don't feel weighed down afterward.
  • Feta and Parmesan together create this almost addictive tangy-salty depth that just works.
02 -
  • Don't let the sauce bubble hard once you add the cheese or it can break and get grainy—keep the heat low and gentle.
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, you've got pasta water waiting to help, but it's easier to add more than to fix it if you make it too thick.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain everything; I learned this the hard way by having to cook more pasta just for that starchy water.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for the lemon; it gives you fluff rather than chunky pieces, and the flavor distributes better throughout the sauce.
  • If you're cooking for someone with a lighter appetite, this easily stretches to 5 or 6 servings without sacrificing creaminess—just thin the sauce a little more with pasta water and broth.
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