This Greek Pasta with Chicken can also be made with zoodles for a healthy twist! Chicken is seared and paired with a stovetop veggie saute: tomatoes, red bell peppers, artichokes and Kalamata olives. It is super healthy and incredibly delicious! This weeknight dinner recipe is done in 30 minutes!
The other day I looked over Eric’s shoulder while he was reading what looked like a very official news piece. But then I saw a subheading: “The midi-chlorians reveal a deeply conflicted attitude toward egalitarian values and structures.”
If you don’t know what the article was about yet, then consider yourself firmly out of the realm of nerd-hood.
The next one read, “The Ewoks may represent the theological lynchpin to the saga’s conclusion.”
That’s right. Star Wars.
I don’t know who these people are, but they are Eric’s people.
We may look like grown-ups on the outside, with our mortgage and our 4 kids and our lawn to mow. But no. It’s all Star Wars analysis, all the time.
Mediterranean Pasta ftw
How’s everybody holding up on Quarantine Day 75? Or whatever it is. Earlier this week I posted a recipe for How to Make Zoodles, just in case you’re drowning in sugar and carbs.
Today I’ve got a follow up recipe. This Greek pasta with chicken can be made with either pasta or zoodles, it’s delicious either way! Essentially it’s chicken with a bunch of sauteed vegetables, Greek style. It’s got red pepper and sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and kalamata olives.
After I made it, I realized that it’s ridiculously similar to this Oven Baked Greek Chicken with Veggies that I posted back in January. (Have you tried it yet? It’s been incredibly popular lately!) And then in February I made this Greek Gyro Recipe. What is it with me and the Mediterranean flavors lately??
Maybe it’s because it’s so good, and the Mediterranean diet is famous for being healthy. Hence the zoodles. I’ve still got to lose the weight from baby #4!
Just look at those thighs. My goal is to make my thighs look less like his. Ha, I’m kidding! But really Edison is getting so big. He’s 4 months old now and rolled over for the first time last night. Time flies!
How to Make Greek Pasta (or Zoodles) with Chicken
This Greek pasta is a 30 minute meal, tops. The hardest part is remembering to get the chicken out of the freezer to thaw. (anyone else??)
(no need to chop up your veggies too much, 1-2 inch strips is great. Chunky sauce forever.)
Slice the chicken into strips and sear it on both sides to get those beautiful brown edges. Then remove and keep warm and throw in the veggies. First saute some red onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Add in a can of diced tomatoes, some sun dried tomatoes, and a bunch of artichoke hearts.
Top with kalamata olives and feta cheese and you are done! Serve over pasta or zoodles.
I prefer to cook my zoodles in a separate pan. (see this post about How to Make Zoodles for a full tutorial). I know there are photos of the zoodles mixed together in the pan; I added them after they were cooked:
But I totally get that sometimes one more pan to wash will put you over the edge. So if you want, you can add your raw zoodles to the pan when you add the artichokes and olives and cook over medium high heat until the zoodles are al dente! If you are making pasta, you will have to boil it separately and then add it in (or just plate the pasta and add the chicken and veggies on top)
This recipe is really easy to make vegetarian. Just skip the chicken.
The artichoke hearts give the veggies a really substantial feel, so you won’t even feel like you’re missing out! Hooray for healthy meals! More room for quarantine brownies!
More Greek inspired flavors you will love!
- Oven Baked Greek Chicken with Veggies << this recipe is very similar to today’s recipe!
- Greek Gyro Recipe with Homemade Gyro Meat << Enjoy your favorite Greek restaurant food at home!
- Chicken Shawarma << this is the same idea as gyros but uses yogurt-marinated chicken. YUM.
- Greek Salad with Feta Cheese << I could eat this every day.
- Italian Tortellini and Pepperoni Pasta Salad << Can’t beat a good pasta salad
- 20 Minute Lemon Broccoli Pasta << one of the top recipes on my site!
- Lemon Pasta with Ricotta and Fresh Peas << another great vegetarian pasta idea
- Tzatziki Sauce Recipe << Make this as an appetizer and bring it to a party with toasted pita. Everyone will love you.
- Zucchini Pasta with Creamy Avocado Pesto from Live Eat Learn
- Greek Style Zucchini Noodles from Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Mediterranean Zucchini Pasta Salad from Two Peas and Their Pod
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Greek Pasta with Chicken (and Zoodles)
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper , to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Greek veggie saute
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 red onion, sliced into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper , to taste
- 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes*
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 (14-oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- 3/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
To serve
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- homemade zoodles or pasta, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Slice 2 chicken breasts into strips and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. When it is hot and shimmery, add half of the chicken strips one at a time, with space in between each strip. Do not crowd the chicken or they will not get brown. Sear over medium high heat for about 1-2 minutes, until browned, and then flip each piece with tongs. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm (I like to place the chicken on a pan in the oven on the "keep warm" setting, which is 170 degrees F.)
- Repeat with the remaining chicken until it is all cooked. Set aside and keep warm.
- (This is a good time to start boiling water for pasta, or spiralize your zucchini into noodles. 8-10 ounces of dry pasta will be enough for 4-5 people. Plan for 1 zucchini per person.)
- Add a bit more olive oil to the pan that you seared the chicken in, if necessary, and keep the burner at medium high heat. Add 1 sliced red bell pepper and 1 sliced red onion. Add 1 tablespoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Saute for 3-5 minutes until soft.
- Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add 1 can diced tomatoes and 1/4 cup drained sundried tomatoes. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Drain the jar of artichoke hearts and chop any that are large, if you want. Add the artichoke hearts and 3/4 cup sliced kalamata olives. Stir until the artichokes and olives are heated through, then remove from heat.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and drizzle the whole pan with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Top with 1/2 or 1 cup crumbled feta cheese.
- Serve over warm pasta or warm zoodles.** Anywhere from 8-16 ounces of dry pasta will be appropriate for this recipe, depending on how many people you are serving. Less is more, in my opinion. If you are making zoodles, use about 4 medium zucchini.
Should I be embarrassed or proud that I instantly knew it was Star Wars, before any Ewok talk. I’m going with proud! I am going to have to make this for Paul but vegetarian.
Proud. Definitely proud ;) And yeah this would be a great meal to make for Paul! It’s even vegan without the chicken and cheese.
Amazing recipes thank you .
From London.
Thank you Duvall! I hope you get a chance to try it soon. Thanks for commenting, it’s great to hear from you!