When I cook and shoot pictures of my meals, I use 2 different SD cards. One is in my camera at all times, the other is usually in my computer. I switch them out when I need to get pictures off the other.That means I have pictures of meals on some of these cards that I had completely forgotten about, like this one!
It’s like finding an extra present on Christmas Day.I was planning on writing a blog post about a meatless dinner I made this weekend, until I stumbled upon the pictures of this delicious casserole I made WEEKS ago.Though, technically, it’s not a casserole. You don’t bake this meal at all. I think that’s what the criteria is for a casserole: must be baked.
Instead, this is an all-in-one-pot pasta dinner. You caramelize the onions for what seems like a lifetime, then after that everything else is a breeze. The best part of this pasta? It’s absolutely delicious.A couple of tips on how to perfect the art of caramelizing onions:
- Slice the onions super thin. Paper thin. See-through thin. The thinner, the better. They will caramlelize much more evenly and quicker.
- Use unsalted butter. Lots of it. Don’t try to caramelize in oil.
I’ve always loved French Onion soup and this is almost an exact replica—with pasta and chicken thrown in for good measure.My advice to you: experiment with your cheese. I only had shredded mozzarella to toss in, but I think it would be divine with Gruyere or provolone.Enjoy!
French Onion Chicken Pasta
French onion soup gets turned upside down for this pasta dish with chicken and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into pieces
- 2 TBS. olive oil
- 2 TBS. Italian seasoning or umami seasoning
- 4 TBS. unsalted butter
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced thin
- 2 tsp. ground thyme
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 lb. spiral pasta
- 1 package dry onion soup mix
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
Directions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occassionally, until onions are caramelized, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Add chicken broth, beef broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Let the pasta gently boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until al dente.
- Remove pot from heat. Stir in onion soup mix, cream of chicken soup, cooked chicken, and cheese. Stir well until everything is combined and serve.
Pre-caramelized onions. Cut paper-thin, in butter.In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a plate. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and stir.
This is about halfway through the cooking time, or 30 minutes of slow cooking.Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occassionally, until onions are caramelized, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Perfectly caramelized onions! Look at how small everything ends up, too.Stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Add chicken broth, beef broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Let the pasta gently boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until al dente.
Remove pot from heat. Stir in onion soup mix, cream of chicken soup, cooked chicken, and cheese. Stir well until everything is combined and serve.
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