Save There was a Tuesday evening when my neighbor stopped by just as I was opening the fridge, looking for something that wouldn't take forever but felt special enough for a weeknight. She spotted the container of Greek yogurt and a lemon, and suddenly we were improvising a sauce right there on the stovetop, tossing in feta and spinach until the whole skillet smelled like a seaside taverna. That moment taught me that the best meals often come from working with what's already there, not waiting for the perfect grocery list.
I made this for my sister on a night when she'd just moved into her new place and couldn't find half her kitchen boxes. We cooked it in her one functioning pan while leaning against the counter, and she kept saying it tasted like vacation. That's when I realized this dish has a way of transporting you, even when you're standing in an unfamiliar kitchen surrounded by cardboard.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: Cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and fast, picking roughly similar sizes so nothing gets dry before the rest catches up.
- Short pasta: Penne, fusilli, or rigatoni all work beautifully because they catch pockets of the yogurt sauce, but stick with what you love.
- Feta cheese: Crumble it into irregular chunks rather than fine crumbs so you get little bursts of salty tang with each forkful.
- Greek yogurt: The thicker, creamier the better, and don't skip it thinking regular yogurt will do the same job because the richness matters here.
- Fresh baby spinach: It wilts down to almost nothing, so three cups looks like a lot until it hits the heat and becomes a manageable bed of greens.
- Red onion: Sliced thin means it softens quickly and adds a gentle sweetness that balances the salty feta and acidic lemon.
- Garlic: Minced small so it distributes evenly throughout the sauce and doesn't leave you with chewy pieces.
- Lemon: Both zest and juice matter because the zest adds brightness while the juice brings that essential tang that ties everything together.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium gives you control over the final saltiness, especially important since feta already brings plenty of salt to the table.
- Olive oil: Use a good one if you can because it flavors the whole dish, and these Mediterranean ingredients deserve something you'd actually enjoy tasting on its own.
- Oregano and dill: These dried herbs are quietly essential, whispering Greek seasoning without overpowering the delicate flavors around them.
- Red pepper flakes: Optional but transformative if you like heat, adding a gentle warning to each creamy bite.
Instructions
- Get your pasta water ready:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil while you prep everything else, then cook the pasta until it's just barely tender enough to bite through cleanly. Reserve a half cup of that starchy cooking water before you drain it, because it's your secret weapon for loosening the sauce later if needed.
- Brown the chicken properly:
- Heat olive oil in your skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then add the chicken pieces seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, and dill, letting them sit undisturbed for a minute so they develop a golden crust. Once they're cooked through and lightly browned all over, pull them out onto a plate and set aside.
- Build the flavor base:
- In that same skillet still warm from the chicken, add your sliced red onion and minced garlic, stirring them around for a couple minutes until they soften and become fragrant. You should smell something that makes you pause and inhale deeply.
- Wilt the spinach gently:
- Dump in all that fresh spinach and let it sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally until it collapses into a dark green layer. Don't overthink this step; spinach changes almost before you realize it.
- Bring it all together:
- Lower the heat to medium-low, then add back the cooked pasta and chicken along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chicken broth, tossing everything to coat and heat through for a minute or two. The pasta should glisten and the flavors should start finding each other.
- Create the creamy sauce:
- Remove the skillet from heat and gently fold in the Greek yogurt and crumbled feta, stirring carefully so you don't break up the feta too much and everything becomes one cohesive, creamy whole. If it looks too thick, add a splash of that reserved pasta water and stir until it flows loosely around the pasta.
- Taste and adjust:
- Season with more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you want heat, tasting as you go because feta is already salty and you might not need much more. Serve it immediately while it's still warm and the flavors are bright.
Save This dish became my go-to for feeding people who said they didn't have time to cook or who felt overwhelmed by dinner plans. There's something about walking them through it, watching their faces when they taste that first forkful and realize how restaurant-quality it tastes, that reminds me why I love feeding people.
The Beauty of Working With One Skillet
Cooking everything in one pan means the flavors build on each other instead of staying separate. The chicken leaves behind little browned bits that flavor the onion and garlic, which then flavor the spinach, which seasons the pasta—it's a chain reaction of taste that you just can't get when everything cooks in different pots. Plus, there's something deeply satisfying about looking at your sink at the end and seeing almost nothing there.
Why Lemon Makes This Feel Mediterranean
It's not just the tartness, though that's crucial for cutting through the richness of the feta and yogurt. The lemon zest specifically adds this subtle brightness that makes people pause and ask what that is, and when you tell them it's just lemon, they're surprised because they expected something more complicated. That little surprise is what transforms a creamy pasta into something that tastes like it came from somewhere else, somewhere warmer and more sunlit.
Ways to Make It Your Own
The framework here is flexible enough to welcome additions and substitutions based on what's in your kitchen or what you're craving that day. Think of it less as a strict recipe and more as a technique you can adapt, which is honestly how the best home cooking happens. The yogurt-feta sauce with lemon is your foundation, and everything else is just details you can rearrange.
- Kalamata olives or sundried tomatoes stirred in at the end add a punch of flavor and a textural contrast that plays beautifully against the creamy sauce.
- Arugula swapped for spinach brings a peppery bite that some nights feels exactly right, while other nights call for the gentler spinach.
- Red pepper flakes aren't optional if you want that warming heat that sneaks up on you, but leave them out if you prefer everything smooth and mellow.
Save This is the kind of dinner that feels like you made an effort without actually taking much time or energy, which means you can cook it on a Tuesday and still have room in your evening for the things that matter. It's the dish that reminds you that Mediterranean cooking is really just about good ingredients and letting them talk to each other.
Recipe Help & Answers
- → Can I make this skillet ahead of time?
This dish tastes best when served immediately, as the creamy yogurt sauce can separate upon reheating. If you need to prep ahead, cook the chicken and pasta separately, then combine everything just before serving with fresh yogurt and feta.
- → What pasta shapes work best?
Short pasta varieties like penne, fusilli, or rigatoni are ideal because their ridges and tubes hold the creamy sauce well. Avoid long strands like spaghetti, as they're harder to eat in skillet form.
- → Is Greek yogurt necessary or can I use regular yogurt?
Greek yogurt's thicker texture and higher protein content create a creamier, more stable sauce. Regular plain yogurt works but may result in a thinner consistency. For best results, use full-fat Greek yogurt.
- → How can I add more vegetables?
Chopped bell peppers, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes can be sautéed with the onion and garlic. Artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers also complement the Greek flavors beautifully without changing cooking time significantly.
- → Can I use a different protein?
Ground turkey or lamb works well with these Mediterranean flavors. For a lighter version, shrimp cooks quickly and pairs perfectly with feta and lemon. Adjust cooking time accordingly to ensure the protein is fully cooked.
- → Why does the sauce sometimes curdle?
High heat can cause yogurt to separate. Always remove the skillet from heat before stirring in Greek yogurt, and fold it gently rather than vigorously. Adding pasta water gradually helps stabilize the sauce's temperature.