A creamy feta tomato chicken built entirely in one skillet, this recipe delivers 750 calories per serving and comes together in 50 minutes, including a 10-minute prep. Bacon fat, two types of tomatoes, white wine, and sheep’s milk feta do the heavy lifting on flavour, producing a sauce rich enough to justify a proper side.
The Creamy Feta Tomato Chicken Method
The technique is sequential and deliberate. Six rashers of bacon go into a cold, large, high-sided skillet, then the heat comes up to medium. Cook them, turning once, until crisp and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Once they are on a plate, drain all but two tablespoons of the rendered fat.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Season four boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 8 oz each) with salt and pepper, then cook them in that reserved fat, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a separate plate.
The sauce begins with butter in the same pan. Cook four finely chopped garlic cloves until fragrant, about a minute, then stir in two tablespoons of tomato paste and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning until combined. Add 10 oz of halved cherry or grape tomatoes and cook briefly, until they just begin to wilt. Raise the heat to medium-high, pour in a third of a cup of dry white wine, and reduce it almost by half, roughly three minutes.
Stir in half a cup each of drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and low-sodium chicken broth, then bring to a simmer. Reduce to medium-low. Return the chicken and any resting juices to the skillet. Crumble in 4 oz of sheep’s milk feta, add a third of a cup of halved, pitted Kalamata olives, season, and cook for a further 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Finish with chopped fresh parsley and crumbled bacon over the top.
Choosing the Right Feta
The recipe specifies feta packed in brine, and the reasoning is practical. Brine-stored feta retains moisture and freshness over time, and the block is noticeably creamier in texture than its pre-crumbled alternatives, which are typically drier and often contain anti-caking agents. Drain the brine before use, but keep it: it is what keeps the cheese alive in your fridge after opening.
On shelf life, the difference between brine-packed and crumbled formats is worth understanding before you shop. According to Fooderghor, an unopened brined feta block can last up to three months in the fridge. Once opened, a brined block lasts 3 to 4 weeks, whereas open crumbled feta drops to just 7 to 14 days, a difference worth factoring in if you are not cooking with it immediately. For those buying in bulk, Fooderghor notes that Costco’s Kirkland Signature feta lasts 3 to 4 months unopened, and up to one month once opened if kept submerged in its original Greek brine solution.
The practical takeaway: buy the block in brine, use what you need for this dish, and keep the remainder submerged. You will have good feta on hand for considerably longer than the crumbled pouch on the shelf beside it suggests.
What to Serve Alongside
Because this creamy feta tomato chicken produces a generous, glossy sauce, the side dish should be able to absorb it. The recipe points to three options: lemon butter orzo, mashed potatoes, or creamy Parmesan polenta. All three are soft enough to carry the sauce without competing with the acidity of the tomatoes or the salt of the feta and olives.
The one-pan format means washing up is minimal, which makes those side dishes the only real extra effort. Given that the sauce is the centrepiece, picking one that soaks rather than deflects is the only decision that matters.
The full recipe, originally developed and photographed by the Delish team with photography by Lucy Schaeffer and food styling by Laura Rege, calls for ingredients available in most larger supermarkets. The one variable worth seeking out is the brined feta block. As the shelf-life data from Fooderghor confirms, it keeps well when stored correctly, which makes it a sensible addition to any fridge rather than a single-use buy.