Greek Penne and Chicken
This is one of my favorite standby recipes. I keep the ingredients on hand to make a quick, delicious, satisfying meal.
This is one of my favorite standby recipes. I keep the ingredients on hand to make a quick, delicious, satisfying meal.
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 16-oz package penne pasta
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless/skinless cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 14-oz can artichoke hearts in water plus 1 tomato chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- Carbohydrate 78.0655225010529 g
- Cholesterol 131.64 mg
- Fat 15.83637 g
- Fiber 8.98017536342554 g
- Protein 22.8450075000464 g
- Saturated Fat 8.790374 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (305g)
- Sodium 374.343500000122 mg
- Sugar 69.0853471376273 g
- Trans Fat 1.8619985 g
- Calories 537 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large pot with boiling salted water cook penne pasta until al dente. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter, add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped chicken and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium- low. Drain and chop artichoke hearts and add them, chopped tomato, feta cheese, fresh parsley, lemon juice, dried oregano, and drained penne pasta to the large skillet. Cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper. Serve warm.
Standard ingredient lists rarely convey how efficiently a single pound of chicken breasts can stretch across a sixteen-ounce box of pasta when combined with bulky mix-ins like artichoke hearts. Cubing the meat into uniform bite-size pieces ensures that every forkful of penne encounters protein, while cooking the pasta precisely to al dente prevents the starch from absorbing too much residual sauce in the skillet. Because this dish delivers a complete meal featuring carbohydrates, vegetables, and dairy, side dishes should focus on contrasting textures rather than heavy substance. A crisp romaine salad tossed with thinly sliced cucumbers and kalamata olives provides a refreshing, acidic counterweight to the rich crumbled feta cheese melting into the hot pasta. Pairing the main course with grilled pita wedges warmed for precisely sixty seconds offers a practical vehicle for scooping up stray tomatoes and onions. Storing leftovers requires airtight glass containers kept in the refrigerator for up to three days, though the creaminess of the feta diminishes upon reheating. Freezing is generally discouraged because the canned artichoke hearts and fresh tomatoes release excess moisture when thawed, which compromises the integrity of the sauce.
