Cooking with Greek Yogurt
What is greek yogurt?
Greek yogurt is made using the same process as traditional yogurt but it is strained to remove more liquid. The additional straining results in a thicker yogurt, which can be used for cooking in many different ways.
Nutrition
Greek yogurt provides a lot of nutrition whether eating it as a snack or as part of a meal. Greek yogurt is high in protein with about 22 grams of protein per cup, more than twice the amount as regular yogurt. Protein is important for building and maintaining muscle, bones, and skin. Protein also does a great job of satisfying your hunger until your next meal or snack.
Like regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has probiotics, which are healthy bacteria that live in your intestines. Probiotics can help strengthen your immune system and improve some digestive problems. And like other dairy products, Greek yogurt is a great source of calcium. Calcium is important for bone and teeth health. When shopping, nonfat Greek yogurt is the best choice because it has all the benefits of Greek yogurt without any saturated fat.
As an ingredient
Greek yogurt is a protein-packed substitute for heavy cream in traditional creamy pasta dishes! Using nonfat plain Greek yogurt will add flavor and creaminess without the saturated fat found in heavy cream and butter. Try it out with ONIE’s Margherita Chicken Pasta!
Margherita Chicken Pasta is the perfect dish for busy weeknights with family. This recipe is ready in only 25 minutes and makes 10 servings to share or save for later! It also only takes one-pot to prepare so you can save time during clean-up too. Here is the list of ingredients and 4 easy steps.
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package whole-wheat penne pasta
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 1/2 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt
Preparation
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain & set aside.
- Lightly coat a large stockpot with cooking spray & heat over medium-high. Add chicken & garlic powder. Cook 3-5 minutes or until browned.
- Add broth, Italian seasoning & cheese. Cook 1-2 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Add spinach & tomatoes. Reduce heat & simmer until spinach starts to wilt.
- Stir pasta into pot. Remove from heat & stir in yogurt. Serve immediately.
To see how to make this delicious dish step-by-step, check out this 1-minute video:
