Greek Yogurt Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Creamy pasta with tender chicken, Greek yogurt sauce, and fresh vegetables. High-protein Mediterranean comfort in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

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

→ Pasta

02 - 12.3 oz whole wheat penne or fusilli

→ Dairy

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

→ Vegetables and 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 and Seasonings

10 - 2.7 fl oz low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 0.5 teaspoon paprika
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
15 - Juice of 0.5 lemon

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 2.7 fl oz (1/3 cup) of pasta water.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the onion for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until just softened. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
05 - Lower the heat to medium-low. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add chicken broth and allow to simmer for 1 minute.
06 - Remove the 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 as it may curdle.
07 - Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta water if needed to achieve your preferred consistency. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It delivers all the creamy satisfaction of traditional Alfredo with half the guilt and twice the protein.
  • The whole thing comes together in one skillet and one pot, so cleanup is mercifully quick.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are wilting in your crisper drawer and it still tastes intentional.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of broth, which almost never happens with cream-based pasta.
02 -
  • Always remove the pan from heat before adding the yogurt, or it will split and turn grainy instead of creamy.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, you can always add it but you can't take it back.
  • Cut the chicken into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate and you don't end up with some dry and some undercooked.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing the pasta, the Parmesan and broth add salt so you might need less than you expect.
03 -
  • Use full-fat Greek yogurt if you want the richest sauce, but 2% works nearly as well and keeps it lighter.
  • If your sauce looks too thick after tossing, don't add more yogurt, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it's silky.
  • Season the chicken well before cooking, it's your only chance to build flavor directly into the meat.
  • Let the garlic cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, any longer and it turns bitter and sharp.
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