Baked Feta Chicken
So, Here’s the Story About Baked Feta Chicken…
You ever have one of those weeks where all you want to do is throw stuff in a pan and hope magic happens? Yeah, that was me last winter, after the school run with muddy shoes and hungry kids. Then I found this thing called “Baked Feta chicken” (honestly, mostly because I had feta on hand and was already in my slippers). First time I tried it, I misread the timer—dinner was a smidge crispier than planned. Still delicious though! The kitchen smelled like a holiday in Greece, even if my little one kept asking “is that cheese really supposed to melt like that?” Bless. Anyway, this one went straight into the keep pile, burnt bits and all.
Why Even Bother Making This?
I make this Baked Feta Chicken when I can’t face another night of stir fry, truth be told. My family goes crazy for this because it’s creamy and tangy and kinda cozy—plus, hardly any chopping (I do NOT always feel like dicing, and if you do, good on you). Also, I used to get annoyed trying to get the feta to melt just right; then I realized—who cares? It always looks a bit odd but tastes fantastic. If you need something everyone eats and you only have ancient feta lurking at the back of the fridge (wait, does cheese even go bad?), this is the meal. Sometimes I even sneak in extra olives just for me. No one notices; they’re too busy fighting over the sauce.
Alright, Here’s What You Need (Give or Take)
- 4 chicken breasts (or thighs if you prefer—actually, they’re juicier!)
- 1 block of feta cheese, about 200g (My grandmother swears by the fancy Greek kind, but honestly store-brand is fine. Crumbled feta works too, in a pinch.)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (or two big handfuls, or even canned if the fridge is empty—been there!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (if you run out, a knob of butter works—I used it once and nobody complained)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (lazy? Garlic powder totally cheats this step.)
- A handful of kalamata olives (if you’re into that sort of thing; sometimes I skip them if my youngest is watching)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano—or fresh if it hasn’t wilted in your fridge
- Black pepper and salt, but I usually go easy because feta’s already salty
- Optional: red pepper flakes for a kick, or a squeeze of lemon at the end (not required, but why not?)
Let’s Get Cooking (or, Baking… You Get the Point)
- Preheat your oven to about 400°F (that’s 200°C for the metric folks). Don’t stress if the oven is slightly off—I once did 190° and nothing bad happened.
- Grab a casserole dish or any oven-safe pan. Drizzle in olive oil, swirl it around, and dump in your cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olives. Give them a toss—your hands’ll get messy, but that’s sort of the fun.
- Make a space in the middle and plonk down the feta block. Surround it with chicken breasts. Now sprinkle everything with oregano, black pepper, maybe salt if you’re feeling feisty.
- Drizzle a bit more olive oil on top (sometimes I get wild and add a little more than I probably should).
- Bake, uncovered, for about 30-35 minutes. At around the 25-minute mark, I start poking at the tomatoes to make sure they’re bursting. The feta gets all browned and the chicken starts looking irresistible. (This is where I usually sneak a taste of the sauce—just a warning: hot pan, be careful!)
- Once the chicken is cooked through (juices run clear, or just slice one open and see—no shame in checking), take the dish out and let it rest for a few minutes. Don’t worry if the feta hasn’t exactly “melted”—it sort of softens and mixes with the tomato juices, which is exactly what you want.
- Give everything a gentle stir to blend the cheesy, saucy, tomatoey goodness. Squeeze over lemon juice if you remembered the lemon (I forget more often than I’d like to admit).
Bits and Bobs I’ve Noticed (a.k.a. Notes)
- If you use crumbled feta, it melts messier but honestly, still tastes awesome—don’t fuss.
- Once I tried pre-searing the chicken. It got a little too tough, so now I skip that step (and save dishes!).
- Sometimes the tomatoes seem too watery. Just drain off excess, or mop up with bread (my husband’s solution—good man).
If You Feel Like Changing It Up (Variations I’ve Tried!)
- Added bell peppers once—wasn’t my favorite, but if you love them, go for it.
- Swapped out tomatoes for zucchini when I had too many; not as saucy, but actually pretty tasty.
- Made it with smoked chicken from the deli (desperation dinner!)—worked way better than expected.
- Tried vegan feta one time; nobody in my house noticed, so there you go.
- Tried blue cheese instead of feta. Big mistake, unless you’re obsessed with blue cheese. My youngest actually hid his plate.
So, What Pan Do You Even Use?
I use a big old casserole dish that’s chipped at the edges—still works. If you don’t have one, honestly, any oven-safe skillet or even a roasting pan works. I once layered everything in a cake tin, lined with foil. Bit awkward, but hey, it worked. Serious Eats has a rundown on best ovenware if you’re feeling fancy.
Leftovers (Or, Does Anyone Even Have Those?)
Store any leftover Baked Feta Chicken in a container in the fridge—should last 2-3 days, though honestly, in my house it never survives past breakfast the next day. If it does, it actually tastes better, I think, when the flavors hang around together longer. Microwave or pop in the oven to reheat; don’t overdo it, or the chicken gets a bit rubbery. (I’ve done that. Not my finest moment.)
How I Like to Serve It (and Also, Tradition!)
Big scoop over crusty bread, or fluffy rice, or even pasta if I’m feeling energetic. My mum always puts out a little bowl of chopped fresh parsley, and if you’re extra, a side salad just because it looks nice. If it’s Friday night, sometimes I’ll slice the chicken for sandwiches the next day. On second thought, it rarely lasts that long. If you want more serving ideas, BBC Good Food’s feta recipes are worth a look.
Stuff I Wish I’d Known (a.k.a. Pro Tips)
- Don’t rush baking—tried cranking up the heat to “speed it up” and got dry chicken. Not doing that again.
- If you want more sauce, add a splash of stock or a glug of wine before baking. Actually, I find it works better if you just put in more tomatoes.
- Stir the feta and juice together after baking for that creamy sauce; I once tried mixing everything up beforehand and it just went kind of gloopy.
Randomly Asked Questions (Because Friends Actually Ask These!)
- Can I use regular cheese instead of feta?
- Sort of—mozzarella or goat cheese works, but the whole point is that salty feta vibe. So, your call. I once used cheddar; didn’t hit the same spot.
- Does this freeze well?
- Eh, not really. The chicken’s fine, but feta gets a bit weird. Wouldn’t recommend unless you like that grainy cheese thing.
- Can I make this ahead of time?
- Yep, totally! Assemble everything in the dish, cover, and keep in the fridge for a few hours (don’t forget it overnight, unless you like soggy tomatoes).
- Is it spicy?
- Only if you want it to be. My brother dumps in twice the chili flakes and claims it’s “not hot enough.” Your mouth, your rules.
- I don’t eat olives – can I just skip them?
- Of course! Or swap for capers if you want that briny thing. Or just leave ’em out. (One time I forgot them; still fine.)
- Is this healthy?
- Well, it’s got chicken and tomatoes, right? Let’s just call it balance in a dish—and move on.
For more kitchen ideas or if you want to geek out over feta variations (someone’s got to), I often check Olive Tomato’s Greek baked feta. Their take’s slightly different, but worth a read if you, like me, get down a rabbit hole on cheese recipes. And don’t worry—if you mess this up, you’ll probably still get dinner on the table. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 200 g feta cheese block
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
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2Arrange chicken breasts in the baking dish. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and thyme.
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3Scatter cherry tomatoes and minced garlic around the chicken. Place the feta cheese block in the center of the dish.
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4Drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly over the chicken, feta, and tomatoes.
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5Bake for 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the feta is soft and creamy.
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6Remove from oven. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve hot with the roasted tomatoes and feta spooned over the chicken.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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