The Hungry Bites

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Categories
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef and veal
      • Chicken and Poultry
      • Lamb and Goat
      • Pork
      • Fish and seafood
      • Other Meats
      • Legumes
      • Salad Meals
    • Side Dishes
    • Greek Appetizers and Meze
    • Pasta and rice
    • Soups and stews
    • One pan - One pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Salads
    • Greek Desserts and Sweets
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes and muffins
      • Cookies
      • Chocolate
      • Ice Cream
      • Pies Bars and Tarts
      • Puddings, jams and creams
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Bread Recipes
    • Greek Drinks
    • Dietary
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Gluten-free
      • Healthy
  • The Mediterranean Diet
  • About The Hungry Bites
    • Contact me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • MDiet
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer
    • Recipes
    • MDiet
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Chicken and Poultry

    Easy Skillet Chicken and Spinach Recipe with Feta

    Modified: Sep 22, 2018 · Published: Aug 10, 2017 by Makos

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Inspired by Greek Spanakopita, this easy skillet chicken and spinach recipe with feta is the ultimate weeknight dinner cooked in 30 minutes.

    Greek Chicken à la Spanakopita

    After this pappardelle à la spanakopita recipe, which turned out soooo good, I knew I had to play with the concept of spanakopita for one more time.

    And since chicken is a favorite ingredient of mine, a chicken skillet recipe that comes together in no-time was more than obvious!

    This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner since it can be made in less than 30 minutes and you only need one deep skillet to get the job done! You can serve it with thick slices of toasted bread with olive oil, tomatoes, and oregano (you can see how pretty they are in my baked eggs in potato nests post) or with some fluffy long grain rice in pot.

    Oh, and I know I have probably overdone it with the toasted breadcrumbs in these pictures, but trust me this chicken tastes way much better than it looks!

    As you probably know, spanakopita is the Greek word for spinach pie. It is usually made with phyllo and it’s one of the most famous Greek recipes.

    Every time my mom wants to make it, she takes a walk to the country side and harvests wild greens and aromatics. Yes, she doesn’t just use spinach, because spinach has a rather neutral taste.

    She wants depth of flavor, so she makes sure to gather a couple of different varieties of greens, other sweet, other bitter and some with an intense aroma. I won’t make you go and harvest wild greens and aromatics from the countryside, but I will ask you to get some leeks, a few green onions, a large onion, and some chives if possible.

    And of course some good feta cheese!

    The basic concept of this recipe was to make something like a spinach pie with chicken but without all the fuss.

    For this purpose, toasted breadcrumbs are wonderful, because they save you all the trouble of managing the phyllo sheets and baking the pie while at the same time they provide all the taste that normally the phyllo provides but with less oil/fat (= fewer calories)!

    Other than that, the chicken breasts are cooked with some olive oil and then get mixed with the ingredients typically used for filling the spanakopita.

    Some notes/tips:
    You can make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free bread crumbs.
    When sautéing onions, it is a common practice in Crete to add some water. This helps the onions not to burn, especially if using high heat.
    Cook the chicken pieces in one layer without turning them until they brown well and caramelize from one side. Then flip them and continue until cooked through.
    When adding salt, take into consideration the saltiness of the feta cheese.

    Similar recipes:

    30-minute Thai chicken with coconut cream and basil

    Juicy shrimp saganaki

    Juicy and extra crispy fried chicken bites

    Share this post if you liked it (share buttons at the top!) and don’t forget to subscribe for new recipes or follow me on Instagram,   Pinterest,   Facebook

    📖 Recipe

    Easy Skillet Chicken and Spinach Recipe with Feta

    Makos
    Inspired by Greek Spanakopita, this easy skillet chicken and spinach recipe with feta is the ultimate weeknight dinner cooked in 30 minutes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Greek, Healthy, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 571 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large skillet

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup breadcrumbs, ( use gluten-free if you can’t eat gluten)
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon Nigella seeds
    • 1.5 pounds chicken breast ((650 grams) skinless and boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes)
    • 1 leek, ( chopped (the white and some of the green part))
    • 1 onion, (chopped)
    • 2 green onions, (chopped)
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • ¼ cup chives, ( chopped)
    • 4 cups spinach, (chopped (fresh or frozen))
    • 1 cup feta cheese, ( crumbled or cut in cubes)

    Instructions
     

    • Transfer 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the bread crumbs to a deep skillet and heat over medium/high heat, stirring constantly until well browned and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Add the sesame seeds and Nigella seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
      Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
    • In the same skillet, transfer chicken pieces and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté over high heat until golden brown on one side without stirring, then flip and cook from the other side (about 3 minutes each side).
      When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a clean bowl and set aside.
    • Transfer the leek, the onion, the green onions and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. If you notice the onion starts to brown too much, add a splash of water.
      When the onions and the leek are soft, add the spinach, the chicken, the chives, the salt, and the black pepper and cook stirring often until the spinach wilts down, about 5 minutes.
      Add the feta cheese and stir just until it starts to soften.
    • Remove from heat, top with the bread crumbs and serve.

    Notes

    You can certainly make this recipe without the toasted breadcrumbs, but if you have the extra time you should definitely try them.
    It's best to sauté the chicken in one layer, since it will brown better this way. You'll need a wide skillet or deep saucepan for this. Otherwise you can sauté it in two batches.
    The spinach can be fresh or frozen.
    You can use both green onions and chives or just pick one of them.
    Serve this dish with long grain rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 571kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 47gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1434mgPotassium: 981mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3533IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 321mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you like this recipe, Pin it!

    More Mediterranean Poultry and Chicken Recipes

    • Greek yogurt marinated chicken breasts.
      Greek yogurt chicken marinade—it doubles as a sauce
    • A bowl with turkey chili with a dollop of yogurt in the middle.
      Simple Turkey Chili Recipe Mediterranean-style
    • Baked chicken and rice thumbnail.
      Baked chicken and rice (healthier Greek recipe)
    • chicken lettuce wraps thumbnail
      Chicken lettuce wraps (Mediterranean style)

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Akhila@Pepper Delight says

      August 11, 2017 at 4:33 am

      Hey Makos,
      Wow, Thank You so much for the shout out!! That was a pleasant surprise, and I don’t think I did much to deserve such kind words from you…
      Once again, I’m so glad for you & Hearty Congratulations on being the Finalist! I hope to soon read a similar post from you after winning it. All the best !!!

      Reply
      • Makos says

        August 13, 2017 at 4:46 pm

        I am very happy that you found it to be a pleasant surprise Akhila! Don't forget you're one of my oldest friends here! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kathryn Pauline says

      September 08, 2017 at 8:43 am

      I see you and you're doing a phenomenal job! So excited for all of us! Also, this dish looks fabulous. Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Makos says

        September 08, 2017 at 2:18 pm

        Thanks Kathryn!!! I see you too! 🙂
        And I"ll say it again: it is a great honor to be among all of you guys!

        Reply
    3. spice store in Pakistan says

      April 29, 2019 at 10:37 am

      I am very pleased that you gained it to be a pleasant wonder Akhila! Don’t overlook you’re one of my oldest friends here!

      Reply
    author profile image.

    Welcome to The Hungry Bites, your go-to destination for authentic Greek and Mediterranean recipes, straight from the heart of the Aegean.

    About →

    Summer Recipes

    • Dolma on a plate.
      BEST Dolma: Stuffed Grape Vine Leaves with Meat
    • Featured image for creamy Greek pasta salad.
      Creamy Greek pasta salad (with healthy yogurt dressing)
    • A stuffed tomato and pepper on a plate.
      Easy Gemista: Greek stuffed peppers & tomatoes
    • Greek baked octopus in foil featured image.
      Easy Mediterranean baked octopus recipe (in foil)
    • Greek yogurt marinated chicken breasts.
      Greek yogurt chicken marinade—it doubles as a sauce
    • Greek salad featured image.
      Traditional Greek salad (authentic recipe by a Greek)
    • Cretan dakos salad on a plate.
      Traditional Greek Dakos Salad Recipe (by a Cretan)
    • Ouzo cocktails
      Greek booze: 5 Ouzo Cocktails You Need to Try

    Popular Recipes

    • Featured image: 3 slices of spanakopita stacked the one on the other.
      Easy Greek Spinach Pie (Traditional Spanakopita)
    • Oven baked swordfish featured image.
      Oven baked swordfish recipe with lemon vinaigrette
    • A bowl with lemon garlic pearled couscous.
      Best Lemon Garlic Pearl Couscous Recipe
    • Baked chicken leg on a plate with potatoes, carrots and cauliflower.
      Greek baked chicken recipe (with potatoes)
    • Easy pistachio cream in a jar, featured image.
      2-ingredient Pistachio Cream Recipe
    • Pistachio chocolate cake featured image.
      Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake
    • Italian almond cookies featured image.
      Easy Italian almond cookies recipe - soft amaretti
    • Creme brulee featured image
      Classic French Crème brûlée recipe (in 5 easy steps)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As Seen In

    GREATIST, Buzzfeed, Saveur, wellandgood, verywellfit, popsugar, everydayhealth, brit.co, Health.com, Livestrong, Thefeedfeed, Marie Claire, Thepappaspost.

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2016-2025 The Hungry Bites

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.