Greek Chicken Feta Pasta (Print)

Tender chicken with lemon, feta, spinach, and creamy sauce tossed with pasta in a skillet.

# Components:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta & Sauce

08 - 10 oz short pasta (penne or fusilli)
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing
10 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
11 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
12 - 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
13 - ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
14 - ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water
15 - ½ teaspoon dried dill, optional
16 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Lemon wedges
18 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with olive oil, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour for enhanced flavor development.
02 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta thoroughly.
03 - While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add chopped red onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
05 - Add baby spinach to the skillet and cook until just wilted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
06 - Return cooked chicken to the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in cooked pasta, crumbled feta cheese, Greek yogurt, and ½ cup reserved pasta water. Toss until the sauce is creamy and evenly coats the pasta. Add additional pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
07 - Season with black pepper and dill if desired. Taste and adjust salt as necessary. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges and fresh chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying dinner with the people you love.
  • The lemon and feta create this bright, salty magic that tastes fancy but takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • High in protein and honestly feels like the kind of meal your body thanks you for making.
02 -
  • If you add the feta and yogurt at too high a temperature, the dairy can separate and look broken—keep the heat at medium-low and stir gently, almost like you're coaxing the sauce into existence.
  • That pasta cooking water is actually magic; it's the difference between a sauce that clings and one that just slides off, so don't skip reserving it or you'll end up adding more than you need.
03 -
  • Make the marinade the night before if you're planning ahead; the lemon will do half the work while you sleep, and you'll be shocking yourself at how tender the chicken becomes.
  • If your yogurt is very thick, thin it with a little more pasta water before stirring it in—you want it to blend smoothly rather than fighting you.
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