Healthy High Protein Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Protein-rich chicken with whole-wheat pasta, spinach, cherry tomatoes, lemon and garlic for a light, filling meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Protein & Pasta

01 - 350 g (12 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
02 - 200 g (7 oz) whole wheat penne or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

03 - 120 g (4 oz) fresh baby spinach
04 - 200 g (1 1/2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped

→ Sauce & Seasonings

07 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
10 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the whole wheat pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken, season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the red onion for 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes and chili flakes (if using). Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften and release some juices. Add spinach and toss until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
05 - Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss to combine, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
06 - Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It transforms pantry basics into a dish that looks and tastes way fancier than it has any right to.
  • This pasta checks all the boxes: fast, filling, and you barely feel like you've gone off track from healthy habits.
02 -
  • Don't skip saving the pasta water—forgetting to reserve that splash means you lose the silky texture that ties the sauce together.
  • Letting the chicken rest outside the pan for a moment keeps it from drying out when everything mixes at the end.
03 -
  • I found out letting the finished dish sit off the heat for a couple minutes makes every bite more cohesive.
  • Scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with pasta water gives you a restaurant-worthy sauce at home.
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