Imagine a dish that seamlessly combines the rich, caramelized flavors of a classic French onion soup with the heartiness of tender chicken and the comforting embrace of al dente pasta. Here you have it: French Onion Chicken Pasta.
This delicious dish takes inspiration from the iconic French onion soup, a timeless favorite known for its sweet and savory notes. It reimagines the traditional soup in a bold and creative manner, transforming it into a casserole that’s perfect for gatherings, weeknight dinners, or whenever you’re craving a symphony of flavors in a single bite.
Al dente pasta intermingles with moist pieces of chicken, all held together with a velvety blend of caramelized onions and rich, gooey cheese. The aroma that wafts from the oven as this casserole bakes is nothing short of intoxicating, promising a feast that will leave you yearning for seconds.
Whether you’re a seasoned chef looking to expand your repertoire or a home cook seeking culinary adventure, this French Onion Chicken Pasta is your ticket to a dining experience that marries elegance with comfort. Get ready to unravel the layers of flavor and uncover a new favorite that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
Three reasons why you need to make this recipe!
It uses up all those onions sitting in your pantry.
I think we all have a drawer of onions and potatoes in our pantry that tend to just sit there until we realize they’ve gone bad. You normally only need one onion for a recipe but purchase a whole bag anyways. This recipe will use up those onions for you!
It’s not just any chicken casserole.
Chicken casseroles are a go-to because they’re easy to make. French Onion Chicken Pasta takes advantage of variety and uses classic flavors to enhance your weeknight chicken casserole.
French Onion Chicken Pasta is very nutritious.
It makes a hefty 6 servings, and each serving has 21 grams of protein and is under 300 calories. That’s amazing considering most casseroles or pasta dishes are well over 500 calories per serving.
Ingredients you need to make French Onion Chicken Pasta:
- 3 cups onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cups pasta, measured dry
- 2 cups cooked diced chicken, approx 10oz
- 1 package onion soup mix (55g)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Dash of salt and pepper
- ¾ cup + 3 tablespoon chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded light Swiss cheese
How to make French Onion Chicken Pasta (step by step):
- If you have not cooked the chicken yet you will want to do this first. Cubed, shredded, or rotisserie chicken will work well in this recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan on the stove over medium to low heat. Add the chopped onions with 3 tablespoons of the chicken broth and cook it on the stove until the onions are tender. This will take about 20 minutes. You want to cook them low and slow to get the best flavor out of the onions. Stir it often.
- While the onions are cooking, boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside until you’re ready for it.
- Mix the shredded chicken, pasta, onions, onion soup mix, mustard, vinegar, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of cheese together in a large bowl. Spread out the chicken pasta mixture into a sprayed 9×13 casserole dish.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and spread the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top. Put it back in the oven uncovered for 5 minutes, or just enough time for the cheese to melt.
- Makes 6 servings, each serving approx 7oz.
Makes 6 servings. Nutrition info for 1 serving: Calories 264, Fat 4 g, Saturated fat .74 g, Carbs 36 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Sugars 7 g, Sodium 1093 mg, Protein 21 g.
WW Points
- Chopped onions 0 points
- Olive oil 1 point
- Dry Pasta 16 points
- Cooked diced chicken 0 points
- Onion soup mix 4 points
- Dijon mustard 0 points
- Balsamic vinegar 0 points
- Salt & pepper 0 points
- Chicken broth 0 points
- Shredded light Swiss cheese 5 points
4 points per serving based on the WW app recipe creator.
If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below.
Personal Points- 2-6 depending on your 0PP foods
Freestyle SP- Blue 5 using WW recipe builder
Smart Points- Green- 6 using WW recipe builder
SP- purple- 2 when using whole wheat pasta
Points Plus- 6 using PP calculator
Different ways to change up this recipe:
- You can use any kind of light or reduced-fat cheese for this, but Swiss cheese is the most traditional flavor for French onion.
- A high-fiber pasta like Banza pasta will increase the protein content as well as the fiber content. Banza pasta is gluten-free.
- It’s a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken!
Tips and Tricks for Making French Onion Chicken Pasta:
- Red onions are the best for this, but any kind will work.
- This casserole does not freeze well. Most pasta dishes don’t freeze well, so plan to consume this dish within 7 days. It will stay good in the fridge for up to 7 days, so it makes a great recipe for lunch meal prep.
- Buy pre-cooked chicken to save you a lot of time!
Similar recipes you’ll enjoy:
- Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken (Copycat!)
- Buffalo Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Buddha Bowl with Okra and Purple Cabbage
French Onion Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 cups onions, chopped *I used red onion but any is fine
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 cups pasta *My brand is pictured, 2 cups weighed out dry is 16SP
- 2 cups cooked diced chicken, approx 10oz
- 1 package onion soup mix, my brand is pictured, it was 55g and 6SP
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Dash of salt & pepper
- 3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded light swiss cheese *any cheese will work, my light swiss was 8SP/cup
Instructions
- If you have not cooked the chicken yet you will want to do this first. Cubed, shredded, or rotisserie chicken will work well in this recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan on the stove over medium to low heat. Add the chopped onions with 3 tablespoons of the chicken broth and cook it on the stove until the onions are tender. This will take about 20 minutes. You want to cook them low and slow to get the best flavor out of the onions. Stir it often.
- While the onions are cooking, boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside until you’re ready for it.
- Mix the shredded chicken, pasta, onions, onion soup mix, mustard, vinegar, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of cheese together in a large bowl. Spread out the chicken pasta mixture into a sprayed 9x13 casserole dish.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and spread the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top. Put it back in the oven uncovered for 5 minutes, or just enough time for the cheese to melt.
- Makes 6 servings, each serving approx 7oz
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was REALLY good! I used regular onions, cooked them super slow so it was 30+ min before they were caramelized. I used light shredded mozzarella, couldn’t find the reduced fat Swiss, came out great! I brought it together in a 9×13 pan and baked per the recipe except I didn’t cover it, we love it when baked pastas get crispy on top. It was hearty and delicious!!