Mediterranean Pasta (One Pot!)

Mediterranean Pasta in a white bowl with spinach, tomatoes, chicken, feta, and olives.

Mediterranean Pasta (One Pot!)

This Mediterranean Pasta has angel hair pasta tossed in a flavorful Greek sauce with juicy marinated chicken, tomatoes, spinach, olives, lemon juice, feta, and garlic! Bonus: it's all made in ONE pot for a super easy meal!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean

Servings: people

Calories: 487kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
3 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning see notes
1 cup Greek salad dressing divided
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
½ chicken bouillon cube
¾ cup half and half
2 tablespoons avocado oil can sub olive oil
½ cup dry white wine see notes
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic minced
½ lb. angel hair pasta
3 cups packed baby spinach
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
½ cup kalamata olives
3 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ cup feta cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create two thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use a meat tenderizer to pound each side until it’s about ½-inch thick. Pat completely dry and season each side with lemon pepper seasoning.
Transfer to a gallon freezer bag along with 2/3 cup Greek dressing. Seal out the air and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, combine the chicken broth, chicken bouillon, half and half, and remaining 1/3 cup Greek dressing in a large measuring cup with a spout. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
Heat olive oil in a deep, 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and discard the remaining marinade. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into smaller strips.
Dab away excess oil from the skillet. Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce. Reduce by nearly half, about 3 minutes.
Add the butter and the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth/half and half mixture.
Bring the liquid to a boil and add the pasta. Bring back to gentle boil and cook for 3 minutes. Use kitchen tongs throughout cooking to toss the pasta and prevent sticking.
Add the spinach, tomatoes, and olives and stir to combine. Cook for 1 more minute. (There will still be a lot of liquid.) Reduce heat to low and add the chicken and lemon juice. Stir to combine and heat through.
Add the feta and stir to combine, it will melt slightly, but some texture will remain. The pasta and sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Remove from heat and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips:

Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Redmond Real Salt lemon pepper seasoning is my favorite brand for seasoning this chicken, it also contains sea salt and has a lot of great flavor. (Use promo code ‘COZY‘ for 15% off!) Some brands (like McCormick) can be potent so be aware of that and consider using less on the chicken.
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay, and then Pinot Grigio. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine.
My Homemade Greek Dressingmakes the exact amount needed for this recipe and it’s so delicious. (Farmer Boy “new recipe” Greek Dressing is good too!)
Olives: Kalamata olives add a salty, briny POP of Greek flavor in this recipe. I don't recommend skipping them. If you do, you may need to add additional salt to the sauce.
Fresh Garlic Cloves (vs. jarred minced garlic), are best for this recipe if possible.
Fresh Lemon Juice is much more flavorful than bottled lemon juice as well.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes can be used instead of cherry tomatoes if preferred, they add a nice depth of flavor.
Red onions, canned artichokes, and chickpeas make a great addition to this as well, they can be added when the spinach is added. Feel free to top with some diced cucumbers prior to serving as well!
To Use spaghetti: This recipe uses 3 cups of liquid to cook the angel hair. To use spaghetti, (which cooks in 8-12 minutes vs. 4 minutes), you’ll need an extra ½ cup of chicken broth, an extra ½ cup half and half, and an additional 3 tbsp. of Greek dressing. Add the spinach/tomatoes/olives during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Note that high altitudes require more liquid and longer cooking times for one pot recipes.

Storage

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Leftovers reheat well!

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition