Tonight’s Dinner: Greek chicken spaghetti

Spaghetti with tomato sauce is a classic dinner dish. But instead of the same old spaghetti and meatballs, why not try pasta from a different country tonight and add some feta and Kalamata olives.

I love pasta. And if there’s tomato sauce on top, I’m in serious heaven. But there are those times that I like a pasta dish that’s a little lighter. Something that isn’t swimming in sauce. Those are the times I like to coat my pasta in a light olive oil, add some chicken and some wilted greens. It’s just as filling, but it’s not nearly as heavy.

I thought I’d found the perfect combination, but then Sunset Magazine did my pasta dish one better by adding olives and feta cheese. While I do love feta cheese, I can’t stand Kalamata olives. As a matter of fact, whenever I make a Greek salad, I always leave out the olives… I hate them that much. There are those that say the olives are what make the salad and pasta Greek, but I believe it’s the feta cheese. So no matter if you love or hate the Kalamatas, this Greek pasta is a wonderful alternative to the standard Italian.

Greek chicken pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces thin spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; drain and set aside.
2. While the spaghetti cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about four minutes. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, wine, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper and cook until heated through, another two minutes.
3. Add the pasta and chicken to the onion mixture. Stir to coat and cook until heated through, about four minutes. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add the feta cheese, toss to coat and serve.

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