Greek Chicken Feta Pasta Bake with Kale

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This Greek Ground Chicken Feta Pasta Bake has chicken in a creamy pasta with garlic, oregano, parmesan, feta and Kale. Easy to make for weeknight dinners!

Greek Ground Chicken Feta Pasta Casserole in a casserole dish with wood spatula. It has lean ground chicken with garlic, oregano, parmesan, feta and Kale.

Easy one-pan casserole dinners are great for weeknight dinners. But dinner goes from great to GLORIOUS with this One Pan Greek Ground Chicken Feta Pasta Casserole with Kale. It’s kind of like a Greek Mac n Cheese because it’s so incredibly creamy and cheesy from the parmesan and feta cheeses. The glorious thing about Feta is that while it has a very pungent flavor when served cold, it becomes a more mellow, rich, and flavorful backdrop – which is great for kids. You still get just a hint of funk from the Feta, but in a good way;)

This is the ultimate in easy dinners; the ultimate in flavor. Want more tips for making busy family dinners easier? Click here for my Free Printable 5 Simple Steps to Easy Family Dinners!

Greek Ground Chicken Feta Pasta Casserole on a plate with fork and casserole in background. It has lean ground chicken with garlic, oregano, parmesan, feta and Kale.

Hail to the Kale – Healthy and Versatile

Kale adds fiber, nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium…it’s a beautiful thing. It’s not only incredibly healthy, it’s incredibly versatile. I put kale in my morning smoothie, lunch salads or one-bowl concoctions, and into a variety of dinner dishes.

If your kids are not fans of Kale, try this recipe anyway because it completely melts into this dish and becomes one with it.

Here are a few more recipes that I love with Kale:

Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.

Simple Ingredients & Substitutions for Baked Chicken Feta Pasta

Ground Chicken Breast – This is the leanest ground meat, which is why I love it in this recipe. However, you can also use any ground chicken, turkey, or beef. I always have some raw ground chicken on hand in my freezer, as when sealed airtight, it can last for up to 6 months. Check out all of my tips for Prepping and Storing Chicken for Easier Dinners.
Dried Oregano – You can also use fresh oregano in this recipe. If you don’t have oregano, you can swap for dried or fresh basil, marjoram, or Italian seasoning blend.
Garlic Cloves, minced – I always have fresh minced garlic in my freezer because it’s so easy to mince in bulk in the food processor and can be stored in the freezer for months! You can substitute in dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
Chicken Broth – You can use broth or stock. If you don’t have chicken, you can use vegetable or beef.
1% Milk – Any unsweetened milk, half and half, or cream will work in this recipe
Cornstarch – This is the thickener in the sauce for this recipe. I use cornstarch because it is easier than making a roux with flour and butter. If you leave this out, your sauce will be very liquidy, so you can always add in plain greek yogurt or sour cream at the end to help thicken it up.
Campanelle Pasta, dry – I love this cut because it’s thick and sturdy when baked in the oven and the curls hole the sauce. You can use any short cut pasta, like penne.
Parmesan Cheese, grated – if you don’t have parmesan cheese, you can substitute any finely grated cheese or just leave it out.
Feta, crumbled – This is a primary, salty, slightly funky cheese flavor in this dish, so there really is no ideal substitute. You can buy this in block or crumbled form. If you absolutely cannot get or don’t want feta, you can substitute with mozzarella, goat cheese, or even just cheddar.
Fresh Kale, chopped – You can substitute in Fresh Spinach, but you may want to wait until the final 10 minutes of the cooking to mix in the spinach leaves as they are much more delicate and take just a minute to cook. You can also use frozen, but make sure to defrost and drain in a towel to discard any water.

No Crazy Equipment Needed for Baked Feta Pasta

For this recipe, you need a 9×13 Casserole Dish or similar size – 10×10, 12×12, 10×13 will all work..

You also need a medium-large skillet/frying pan for cooking the ground chicken before it goes into the pan. This will allow you to break it up and give it a wonderful browned sear, which equals FLAVOR!

Mincing garlic is made super easy with a Garlic Press.

Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps for Your Chicken Feta Pasta Bake!

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)

This easy pasta recipe has only a few easy steps and very little prep required. For the prep, if not already done, mince 3 garlic cloves.

Prep the kale by rinsing it with cold water and drying it. Then strip the leaves off the woody stems, and discard the stems. Rough chop the kale and set aside.

Cooking Steps for Feta Chicken Pasta Bake

There are two steps to cooking this recipe and you do not want to skip the first one. The first is to precook the ground chicken and the second step is to mix and cook the casserole.

You can actually precook the chicken 2-3 days in advance if you want! Preheat a large frying pan or skillet on high heat. Add the olive oil and then the ground chicken. Break up the chicken with a spatula and then season with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir together and then let sear in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until all pink is gone.

Finally, add the broth to the pan and scrape up all of the chicken brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat.

Measuring cup of broth being added to ground chicken in pan cooking for Greek Ground Chicken Feta Pasta Casserole. It has lean ground chicken with garlic, oregano, parmesan, feta and Kale.

Pour the ground chicken and broth into the casserole dish.

In measuring cup, add 1 cup milk and the 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk to dissolve and then add to the casserole dish. Add in 1 more cup of milk, plus the other 2 cups of broth, the additional dried oregano, parmesan, and the dried pasta. Stir to combine and ensure that the pasta is submerged in the liquid.

Last, mix in the chopped kale, parmesan cheese, and feta cheese. Mix again and press down with a spoon to ensure that again the pasta is submerged into the liquid.

Two images with left showing Crumbled Feta, dry pasta and kale added to casserole pan. Right showing a fork mixing it all together for Greek Ground Chicken Feta Pasta Casserole. It has lean ground chicken with garlic, oregano, parmesan, feta and Kale.

Cover with aluminum foil and place on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the casserole and give it a stir to ensure that all pasta is getting cooked through evenly. Cover again and bake for the last 20 minutes.

ENJOY! 😍 Carrie

Fork with bite of Glorious Greek Ground Chicken Pasta Casserole with plate below and casserole in background. It has lean ground chicken with garlic, oregano, parmesan, feta and Kale.

What To Serve With Greek Chicken Feta Pasta

You can serve a crusty bread, cool and crisp side salad, or roasted vegetables with this pasta dish. But, for even more inspired ideas, check out some easy and delicious side dish recipes in this round up!

Greek Chicken Feta Pasta Bake Recipe FAQs

What kind of Kale should I buy for this Chicken Feta Pasta Bake?

Kale is one of those vegetables that is highly likely to have pesticides unless you buy it organic. That’s because it grows above ground and is quite appealing to little critters. Therefore, I recommend buying organic kale that is still on the stem. If you cannot find organic, make sure you wash it with cold water and rub the leaves with your fingers to remove as much residue as possible. If organic, you should still clean it the same way to remove possible bugs or dirt. I also do not buy kale already chopped, as it has a shorter shelf life than fresh whole leaves still on the stems.

Can I use another meat in this Greek Feta Pasta besides Ground Chicken?

You can use any ground meat you prefer. The ground chicken really keeps this a lean recipe, however, you can use ground beef, ground pork, or ground lamb. All would be delicious. Cooking times will be the same regardless of the meat.

Can this Chicken Feta Pasta Bake be made ahead and frozen?

Once this Greek casserole is cooked, you can freeze it after first cooling it and then tightly covering it. It can stay in the freezer for up to 4 months. To cook it again, cover with aluminum foil and bake 350 F for 1 hour if thawed, 1 ½ hours if frozen.

How do I make this Feta Pasta Bake Gluten Free?

The only gluten ingredient in this recipe is the pasta. To make it gluten free, simply swap in a gluten free pasta.

Can I add tomatoes to this Feta Pasta Bake?

You can turn this into a Chicken Feta Tomato Pasta Bake simply by adding some fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half. You can also use a 14-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes drained.

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