French Onion Chicken Pasta

About This Recipe

Just like the classic French onion soup, but in pasta form and with beautifully seasoned and seared chicken pieces, baby spinach and fresh basil to finish. That sums up this French Onion Chicken Pasta dish perfectly!

While you do have to sear the chicken first separately, this is technically a one pot dish (or one pan dish!) because everything does get cooked in the same pot!

I’d love to tell you that it’s quick to make but the fact is that if you try to speed up the process of caramelizing the onions, the layers of satisfying and deep flavors will be undeveloped and underwhelming.

However, you can caramelize the onions a day in advance (or months in advance and freeze them!) and also cook the chicken too. Just store them in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to bring it all together, the rest of dish comes together in a breeze, making this a terrific dish for a weeknight dinner on any given day!

I’ve added some evaporated milk to add creaminess, baby spinach for some greenery, and plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for some savory and nutty flavors! The flavors are exquisite and the whole family will love this flavor-packed one pot pasta dish!

Without further ado, let’s make some French Onion Chicken Pasta!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

• Seasoned Chicken: I used diced boneless skinless chicken breast pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs if preferred.
• Onions: The star of the show! Use yellow onions, Vidalia onions, white onions or even shallots.
• Aromatics: Fresh garlic and red chilies for a kick of heat. I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used. Leave out the chilies for a milder dish.
• Unsalted Butter and Olive Oil: For cooking.
• Dry White Wine: To deglaze the pan. I used a sauvignon blanc but unoaked chardonnay or pinot grigio works too.
• Chicken Broth: Or use beef broth.
• Seasonings: Fine sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne. Omit the chili flakes and cayenne for a milder dish. Feel free to use fresh herbs – fresh thyme and oregano – if you have some on hand. Otherwise, their dried counterparts taste great in this easy pasta dish too.
• Pasta: I opted for whole wheat pasta shells to add more fiber and protein to this dish. However, any regular or gluten-free short-cut pasta shape works.
• Evaporated Milk: Adds creaminess to the dish. Unlike heavy cream, it won’t curdle and the sauce won’t break even if the pan is still quite hot after simmering the pasta.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Adds depth of flavor with a hint of tang and sweetness.
• Baby Spinach: Substitute with baby kale or deveined and chopped lacinato kale.
• Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: As always, I recommend grating the cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded cheese. It melts more evenly and tastes so much better! Other cheese options are Parmesan, Swiss cheese or gruyere.
• To Serve: More grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and fresh basil. Alternatively, use chopped fresh parsley or thyme to garnish.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make French Onion Pasta with Chicken

Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!

Variations

Dietary Modifications

• Vegetarian. Leave out this chicken or use a plant-based meat alternative or diced mushrooms. Use vegetable broth or water to cook the pasta.
• Vegan. Same as for making it vegetarian but use a dairy-free evaporated coconut milk and vegan Parmesan cheese.
• Gluten-free. Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
• Alcohol free. Leave out the wine if you prefer not to cook with alcohol. Deglaze the pan with an equal amount of chicken or beef broth instead.

Flavor/Preference Customizations

• Use shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked leftover chicken. Simply add the shredded chicken back into the pan when you would add the cooked chicken and let it heat through.
• Use a different protein. Just about any cooked protein can be added. Some tasty options are cooked turkey breast pieces, sausage, ground beef, sliced pork tenderloin (pork fillet). Seafood like cooked shrimp, scallops or salmon cubes would also be delicious!
• Make it milder. Omit or use less of the spicy ingredients – the fresh red chilies, ground cayenne, and crushed red pepper chili flakes. To make it hotter, simply add more of these ingredients to bring on the heat!
• Add mushrooms: Brown button, cremini, champignon mushrooms are some delicious options. Add them towards the end of caramelizing the onions (about 20 minutes in and sauté until softened).
• Use a different pasta shape. Fusilli/rotini, radiatori, orecchiette, penne, rigatoni, etc.
• Make a French onion chicken pasta bake. Transfer the pasta to a lightly greased 9×13-inch casserole dish after cooking. Top evenly with shredded mozzarella (or Swiss cheese or gruyere cheese) and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has fully melted. Turn on the broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.