Greek Yogurt Chicken Pasta (Printable)

A light and creamy Mediterranean pasta with tender chicken, Greek yogurt sauce, spinach and tomatoes. High in protein, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz whole wheat penne or fusilli

→ Dairy

03 - 7 oz plain Greek yogurt (2% or 5% fat)
04 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
09 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Liquids & Seasonings

10 - 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of pasta water.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté onion 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes and cook 2 minutes until just softened. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
05 - Lower heat to medium-low. Return cooked chicken to skillet. Add chicken broth and allow to simmer 1 minute.
06 - Remove pan from heat. Stir in Greek yogurt, Parmesan, lemon juice, and half the reserved pasta water. Mix until smooth and creamy. Do not boil after adding yogurt to prevent curdling.
07 - Toss drained pasta with sauce, adding more pasta water if needed to achieve preferred consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers all the creamy comfort of traditional Alfredo but with a fraction of the guilt and a serious protein boost.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is mercifully quick.
  • The tangy yogurt base feels bright and fresh instead of heavy, perfect for when you want satisfaction without the food coma.
02 -
  • Never let the yogurt boil after you add it or it will split and turn grainy, always remove the pan from heat first.
  • That reserved pasta water is starchy gold, it binds the sauce to the noodles in a way plain water never could.
  • Season the chicken well before cooking because it's harder to fix bland protein once it's buried in sauce.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for a minute after cooking so the juices redistribute, it stays more tender that way.
  • If your yogurt is cold from the fridge, let it sit out for 10 minutes before stirring it in so the temperature shock doesn't cause curdling.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing the pasta, it should be slightly over-seasoned on its own because the noodles will dilute it.
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