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This plate of Crispy Feta with Lemon Pepper Chicken and Rice is full of flavor, color, and deliciousness. It’s going to become a new favorite. Crispy pan-fried feta cheese paired with spicy garlic chicken, peppers, and severed over rice. When you’re in need of an easy, vibrant, and fresh – yet still totally exciting dinner, make this. Every bite is layered with delicious Middle Eastern inspired flavor. It’s hard to beat crispy feta!
Leave it to me to figure out a way to turn a block of feta cheese into dinner. It’s no secret that I love to use feta in many ways, but this might just be my favorite. It’s crispy, warm, melty, and so delicious. It has fragrant roasted peppers…plus chicken to balance things out.
How this dish really came to fruition is something I could never fully explain. It was 100% created within my head. And while I had no idea what to call the recipe, I’ve been so excited to share it. This really is a new favorite.
So much incredible flavor here, so simple, and just delicious!
Details
While things might seem complicated, I promise I made this as simple as possible. Since the chicken takes the longest to cook, start here. I decided to roast it up with a mix of paprika, cumin, and ginger. All simple Middle Eastern spices.
To that same pan, I added a ton of bell peppers…red, orange, and yellow, then shallots and garlic.
Everything roasts together, creating the most fragrant dish. The chicken and peppers alone are a meal in itself.
But the feta makes everything better! The feta was the real reason for the idea of this whole meal. Basically, I wanted to turn a block of crispy feta cheese into dinner. I also knew I wanted peppers and rice, then I built out the recipe from there.
The feta is actually so simple. You need a block of feta cheese and either cornstarch or arrowroot powder. The cornstarch helps the feta to crisp nicely in the skillet. Use a little olive oil to pan-sear the feta and that’s it. It needs nothing more.
For serving, I whisked up a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, champagne vinegar, honey, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
And then rice, you really do need rice. Rice, or even orzo, would be good too – but I love rice with this dish. Spoon the chicken and peppers over warm rice, then break the feta over the peppers. Next, take the vinaigrette and pour it over everything, then add lots and lots of fresh herbs…cilantro and dill are my usual mix.
Oh, and we can forget the naan, it’s great for scooping. My ideal meal any night of the week!
Looking for fun dinners? Here are my favorites:
Easy Baked Cheesy Cauliflower Pizzas
One Pot Creamy Penne Alfredo with Spicy Arugula
Turkish Eggs with Chile Butter and Whipped Feta
Lastly, if you make this
Crispy Feta with Lemon Pepper Chicken and Rice be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Feta with Lemon Pepper Chicken and Rice
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 770 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- kosher salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 4 bell peppers, sliced I used red, orange, and yellow
- 1-2 fresno peppers, seeded and sliced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 8 ounce feta cheese block, patted dry
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup mixed fresh herbs, cilantro, parsley, and dill
- optional rice for serving
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 2. On a baking sheet, toss together the chicken, 3 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, cumin, ginger, and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Add the bell peppers, fresno, shallots, and garlic and toss with the chicken. Bake 25 minutes, until cooked through. 3. Meanwhile, make the feta. Add the cornstarch to a shallow bowl. Add the block of feta and toss to coat all sides. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the feta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Transfer the feta to a plate.4. To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Serve the chicken and peppers topped with fresh herbs. Break the crispy feta overtop. Pour over the vinaigrette. I'd add rice, then enjoy!
Simple and so flavorful! The feta was delicious! The whole meal had such a balance of flavor! Thanks for a delicious dinner!
Hey Kristie,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xxT
Simple and delicious!
Hi Kathleen,
Thanks so much for your comment and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit and thanks for making it! xTieghan
A delicious meal. Loved the spices and herbs. Added a splash of fresh lemon juice as others suggested and turned out perfect
Hi Mary Anne,
Thanks so much for your comment and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit and thanks for making it! xTieghan
Oh my gosh, this was amazing! Didn’t change a thing except for basil on top!!
Hi Kay,
Awesome!! Thanks for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I used Orzo instead of rice and it was soooo good!!! Such a simple fast meal to throw together for my family of six.
Hi there,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This is absolutely delicious and so much easier than it looks! I just made it a second time for meal prep for my weekly lunches. I work from home, so I just prepped the chicken and veggies (plus broccoli) along with wild rice and the vinaigrette. The feta is super quick to fry up at lunch time and just throw it all together. Thank you!
Hi Roxie,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
Tiegan, have become such a fan but what cheese would I substitute for feta which is not one of my favorites?
Thanks
Hey Ellen,
Halloumi would be a great cheese to use here! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Do you think you can freeze this meal?
Hey Kerri,
I probably wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish. Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Have made this recipe twice in just barely over that many weeks the only reason I did not give it 5 stars is the vinaigrette—I found it a bit bland. I added a bit more honey, a pinch of salt, some garlic powder and some Badia Complete Seasoning. I also provided lemon wedges to squeeze over the dish for those who want a little more lemon forward flavor. This dish will definitely become a part of our regular rotation.
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback regarding the vinaigrette. xTieghan
Loved this and made it again this evening!
I agree with the vinaigrette but not enough to demote my 5 star rating. I threw in some extra salt and pepper, and some fresh dill and it helped. I could eat this every day 🙂
Hi Leila,
Awesome!! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for your comment and sharing your feedback! xxT
My husband doesn’t like vinegar so I swapped butter for the oil and just omitted the vinegar. Hit it with the immersion blender and got a silky lemon honey butter sauce. It’s sooo good!
Wow!!!!! Loved it, delicioso!!!!!!
Hey Olivia,
Thanks for your comment! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed:) Have a great weekend! xxTieghan
As promised, a follow up comment.
I added the zest and juice of half a lemon that I had left over to the chicken and pepper mixture, as well as a half teaspoon of Penzey’s Florida seasoning (a salt free alternative to lemon-pepper). Perfect!
The crispy feta is incredible, and makes skipping the chicken a great alternative for vegetarians.
Hey Renee,
Thanks for your comment! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed:) Have a great weekend! xxTieghan
I also wondered about there not being any lemon in the recipe, despite the name. I’m making this tonight and might experiment with adding some lemon zest and juice to the chicken/pepper mixture, as well as substituting lemon-pepper spice mix for the black pepper. Will come back and say how it turned out!
Hey Renee,
The lemon is used in the vinaigrette:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Why can’t I ever get the feta cheese to crisp up. The crispy topping just peels off before I can flip to the other side
Hi Terri,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. A few things could be affecting the feta, what kind of pan are you using? Is it oily enough? Let me know how I can help!! xx
I had/have the same issue with the Feta – it actually ended up taking me about 10-15 minutes/side to get it to brown at all (over med-high gas heat). I used a good pan (but it is non-stick, if that matters?) and the recommended amount of oil. I was wondering if it was the TYPE of feta. Mine is a combo of sheeps/goat milk Feta. Maybe cows milk or singular milk (goat OR sheep) feta works better to brown? Also…the cornstarch allows for a browning crust but doesn’t do anything for flavour. I am wondering if dipping it in an egg wash or some other method would deliver brown crust as well?
Anyway LOVED the recipe overall – and will 150% add it to rotation!!! Will fidget with the feta a bit more but more for curiousity than necessity! Thank you for another GREAT recipe!
Hey Suzie,
Thanks so much for your kind message and sharing your feedback! Maybe try a cast iron skillet next time…I think that might give you a better crust! I’ve not tried this recipe using an egg wash, I really don’t know if that would work well for you or not, I just had the best results using the cornstarch. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Same. Used plenty of olive oil and the cornstarch coating stuck to the pan, the feta broke up. Also, not sure why but, whenever I cook chicken like this, it becomes very liquidy and the spices wash off with the liquid.
Hi Colleen,
Sorry to hear you had some issues. What kind of pan are you using? xx
Why is it called lemon pepper chicken if there is no lemon in the recipe? It still looks delicious!
The lemon issue was clarified weeks ago. It’s in the vinaigrette dressing. You can also opt to add extra zest or juice to the chicken according to your liking.
Hi Allison,
The lemon is in the vinaigrette:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, or have any other questions! xx
This was an easy and delicious meal…I didn’t have shallots or champagne vinegar but used leeks and red wine vinegar instead….not sure if that made any real difference to the original recipe but nevertheless it was an enjoyable meal!
Hey Renee,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! ☀️xTieghan
Such an easy and flavorful dish!!! Can’t wait to make it time and time again.
Hi Jill,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT