Greek Yogurt Chicken Pasta

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (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 & 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 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 6–8 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 2–3 minutes until softened. 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, approximately 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 additional salt and pepper to taste.

08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

Creamy sauce that coats every bite without weighing you down or leaving you sluggish afterward.
Packed with protein from the chicken, yogurt, and Parmesan, so it keeps you full for hours.
Quick enough to make on a Tuesday night but impressive enough to serve when someone drops by.
Uses pantry staples and transforms them into something that tastes like you spent way more effort.

02 -

Take the Greek yogurt out of the fridge 15 minutes before you start cooking, cold yogurt is more likely to curdle when it hits the warm pan.
Always remove the skillet from the heat before adding yogurt, even low heat can cause it to separate and ruin the silky texture.
Save more pasta water than you think you need, it's the easiest way to fix a sauce that's too thick without diluting the flavor.
Don't skip the lemon juice, it balances the richness and keeps the whole dish from tasting one-note.

03 -

Let the chicken rest on the plate for a minute after cooking, it stays juicier and won't dry out when you toss it back in.
Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the chicken, they add so much flavor to the sauce.
If the sauce looks too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time instead of dumping it in, you can always add more but you can't take it back.
Taste before serving and adjust the lemon, salt, and pepper, every batch of yogurt and Parmesan has a different level of tang and saltiness.

Greek Yogurt Chicken Pasta (Printable)