Hot Honey Feta Pasta Salad

10 mins
Serves 1
facebook.com

Directions

  1. 1Bring a big pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
  2. 2Add the pasta and cook 1 minute longer than the box says.
  3. 3While the pasta boils, dump the whole tub of feta into a big mixing bowl.
  4. 4Add the olive oil, 3 tbsp hot honey, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper to the bowl.
  5. 5Grate the yellow skin of the lemon over the bowl, then squeeze in all the juice.
  6. 6Mash with a fork for about 30 seconds until the feta breaks down and mixes with the oil.
  7. 7Before draining the pasta, scoop out 1 cup of the cloudy pasta water and set it aside.
  8. 8Drain the pasta in a colander.
  9. 9Dump the hot pasta into the bowl with 2 tbsp of pasta water and toss hard for about a minute.
  10. 10Add more pasta water 2 tbsp at a time until the sauce is glossy and creamy.
  11. 11Stir in the shredded chicken while everything is still warm so it soaks up the sauce.
  12. 12Taste, and add a pinch of salt or more lemon if flat.
  13. 13Run the cherry tomatoes through the grape cutter to quarter them, then stir them in.
  14. 14Spoon the salad into your serving bowl.
  15. 15Drizzle the last 2 tbsp hot honey over the top in a pretty ribbon.
  16. 16Scatter the pistachios, tear the basil or mint over everything, and finish with more black pepper.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb short pasta (cavatappi or fusilli)
  • 12 oz crumbled feta
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp hot honey, for the sauce
  • 2 tbsp hot honey, for drizzling on top
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 2.5 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup shelled pistachios
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 cup fresh basil or mint
  • pinch salt

Equipment

big potcolanderbig mixing bowlforkgrape cutterserving bowl

Tips

  • Mash the feta with a fork until it breaks down and mixes with the oil, it should look chunky, not smooth.
  • Add pasta water 2 tbsp at a time until the sauce is glossy and creamy.
  • Stir in shredded chicken while everything is warm to soak up the sauce.
  • Taste and add a pinch of salt or more lemon if flat.