Busy evenings call for simple dinners, and this lemon butter feta chicken pasta is just the ticket. We’ve taken our classic lemon butter chicken pasta up a notch with tangy feta, juicy chicken thighs, and gemelli noodles, all cooked in one pot for easy cleanup. It’s like the simpler version of the famous baked feta pasta!
The beauty of this dish? No need to pre-cook the pasta. It simmers in the sauce, absorbing all those delicious flavors while thickening the sauce itself. This meal is everything we love about easy weeknight dinners.
Lemon Butter Feta Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 pieces)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 pound gemelli pasta
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for serving
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta and return the chicken to the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the pasta is al dente and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the feta cheese into the pasta mixture until melted, then add the parsley.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and top with more feta and parsley before serving. Enjoy your delicious one-pan lemon butter feta chicken pasta!