Description
This Mediterranean Pasta recipe is a flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender lemon pepper chicken, angel hair pasta, fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese, all cooked together in a rich sauce made with chicken broth, half and half, white wine, garlic, and Greek salad dressing. Perfect for a delicious and quick dinner with vibrant Greek-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 cup Greek salad dressing, divided
Broth and Sauce
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ¾ cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Pasta and Vegetables
- ½ lb. angel hair pasta
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup kalamata olives
- ¾ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare and Marinate Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise into thinner cutlets. Cover with saran wrap and pound each side to about ½-inch thickness using a meat tenderizer. Pat dry and season each side evenly with lemon pepper seasoning. Place chicken in a gallon freezer bag with 2/3 cup of Greek salad dressing, seal the bag removing air, and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Mix Broth and Sauce Ingredients: While chicken marinates, combine chicken broth, chicken bouillon cube, half and half, and the remaining 1/3 cup of Greek dressing in a large measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring. Prepare all other ingredients for quick use.
- Sear Chicken: Heat avocado oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, discard excess marinade, and sear chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from skillet and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into strips.
- Deglaze Pan: Remove excess oil from skillet with a paper towel. Pour in the white wine and reduce heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the skillet, loosening browned bits for flavor. Reduce wine by nearly half, about 3 minutes.
- Add Butter and Garlic: Stir in butter and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Broth Mixture and Boil: Pour in the chicken broth and half and half mixture. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook Pasta: Add angel hair pasta to the boiling liquid. Return to a gentle boil and cook for 3 minutes, using kitchen tongs frequently to toss the pasta and prevent sticking.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in baby spinach, halved cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Cook for an additional 1 minute. The sauce will be thin with plenty of liquid at this point.
- Combine Chicken and Lemon Juice: Reduce heat to low and add the sliced chicken strips along with lemon juice. Stir well to combine and heat through.
- Add Feta Cheese and Serve: Stir in feta cheese until slightly melted but with some texture remaining. The sauce will thicken more as it stands. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Use Redmond Real Salt lemon pepper seasoning for best flavor; adjust quantity if using potent brands like McCormick.
- Wine Substitute: Sauvignon Blanc is preferred; Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio also works. Use chicken broth if avoiding alcohol.
- Greek Dressing: Homemade Greek salad dressing is recommended for optimal flavor, but quality store-bought is acceptable.
- Olives: Kalamata olives add authentic salty, briny flavor; if omitted, adjust salt to taste.
- Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic rather than jarred for stronger flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferable to bottled for brightness.
- Tomato Alternatives: Sun-dried tomatoes can replace cherry tomatoes for deeper flavor.
- Additional Veggies: Add red onions, canned artichokes, chickpeas, or diced cucumbers for variety.
- Spaghetti Alternative: If using spaghetti (which cooks longer), increase chicken broth by ½ cup, half and half by ½ cup, and Greek dressing by 3 tablespoons. Add vegetables in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- High Altitude Cooking: Increase liquid and cooking time if cooking at high altitude.
- Storage: Store leftovers in airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
