Greek Yogurt Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Creamy Mediterranean pasta with tender chicken, spinach, and Greek yogurt sauce. High-protein, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll 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 & 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 - ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
13 - ½ teaspoon paprika
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
15 - Juice of ½ lemon

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ⅓ 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 for 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 for 2–3 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, approximately 1 minute.
05 - Lower heat to medium-low. Return cooked chicken to skillet. Add chicken broth and simmer for 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 additional pasta water as needed to achieve preferred consistency. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but won't leave you in a food coma on the couch afterward.
  • The whole thing comes together in about thirty minutes, perfect for those nights when takeout feels easier but homemade sounds better.
  • Leftovers actually reheat beautifully, which almost never happens with creamy pasta dishes.
02 -
  • Never let the yogurt boil or even simmer once it's in the pan, heat breaks it down and you'll end up with a separated mess instead of a silky sauce.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, I've forgotten more times than I care to admit and regretted it every single time.
  • Cut your chicken into uniform pieces or some will be overcooked while others are still pink in the middle.
03 -
  • Let the yogurt sit at room temperature for ten minutes before adding it to the pan, cold yogurt is more likely to curdle when it hits the warm skillet.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, thin it with pasta water one tablespoon at a time instead of adding more yogurt, which can make it tangy.
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're unsure about the chicken, it should read 165 degrees F in the thickest part.
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