Greek Chicken Feta Pasta Skillet (Printable Version)

One-skillet pasta with Greek lemon chicken, feta, yogurt sauce, and fresh spinach for a Mediterranean meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Combine chicken pieces with olive oil, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour for enhanced flavor development.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 5–7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add chopped red onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
05 - Add baby spinach to the skillet and cook for 1–2 minutes until just wilted.
06 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Lower heat to medium-low and add cooked pasta, crumbled feta cheese, Greek yogurt, and reserved pasta water. Toss until creamy sauce coats all ingredients. Add additional pasta water if needed for desired consistency.
07 - Season with black pepper and dill if using. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges and fresh chopped parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything happens in one skillet, so cleanup is faster than the cooking itself.
  • The tangy feta and lemon brighten up weeknight dinners without feeling like you tried too hard.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which almost never happens with creamy pasta.
  • You get serious protein without it tasting like gym food.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, regular water won't emulsify the sauce the same way.
  • Add the yogurt off high heat or it can split and turn grainy instead of creamy.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough, toss everything in the pasta pot instead after draining.
03 -
  • Let the chicken develop a golden crust before stirring it, that caramelization adds depth to the whole dish.
  • Toss the pasta with a little olive oil right after draining if you're not adding it to the skillet immediately, it prevents clumping.
  • Taste the sauce before adding extra salt, the feta is already salty and it's easy to overdo it.
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