Easy Dinner: French Onion Chicken with Pasta

Easy Dinner: French Onion Chicken with Pasta

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

French onion soup is such a warm, comforting winter staple with its tender onions, rich red wine and beef broth, and its topping of toasted baguette slices and melted cheese. We have been eating it for years and while preparing the caramelized onions one day, I started to consider all of the other delicious meals in which this same soup base. And so Easy Dinner: French Onion Chicken with Pasta was born.

Easy Dinner: French Onion Chicken with Pasta is a super cozy, French-inspired meal that comes together incredibly easily. The biggest task consists of caramelizing the onions – which literally means just letting them slow cook in a Dutch oven and giving them an occasional stir. Add some thyme and pour in beef broth and red wine for a rich, flavorful sauce just like the perfect French onion soup. Place the chicken in the broth and, of course, top with shredded Gruyère just like the delicious melty, gooey cheese on any authentic soup recipe. Each bite is a warm and inviting flavor combination that will keep the entire family coming back for more. 

Some of the best features of this recipe:

The delicious flavors of classic French onion soup in a complete meal: Soup is great, but isn’t always enough for a dinner. This recipe has all of the great tastes of French onion soup, but the addition of chicken and pasta kicks it up to meal level. It is a hearty meal that is equally perfect for a hungry family or a crowd of dinner guests. Be sure to serve with some delicious crusty bread to sop up the sauce. My Crusty Country French Bread and Easy Focaccia Bread are great options.

Easy: There are absolutely no complex steps in this recipe. A little slicing and some sautéing and you are set.

French-inspired: I have learned tons of recipes from my husband’s French family in our 40+ years together. This is recipe, with its emphasis on a flavorful sauce and super jammy onions, is absolutely something I would serve to my mother-in-law.

 As always, Easy Dinner: French Onion Chicken with Pasta is super simple recipe to make with no complicated cooking techniques, no special equipment, and with basic ingredients you can find in any grocery store.

Recipe Ingredients

2 lbs yellow onions

2-3 tbsp olive oil (divided)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsps of fresh thyme)

6 boneless chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Salt and black pepper

12 oz (uncooked) egg noodles

Helpful Tools

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Liquid measuring cup
• Dry measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Dutch oven
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Instant read thermometer

Ingredient Notes

Beef Broth vs. Beef Stock: Does it really make a difference? Beef broth is made by simmering bones and a bit of meat together, whereas beef stock is made by simmering only the bones. The beef broth tends to be more flavorful – if a bit thinner – and flavor is what we are after!

Beef Broth vs. Chicken Broth: This is a French onion chicken recipe, so why are we using beef broth? Beef broth has a deep, rich flavor that creates the French onion soup taste. If you don’t have any on hand, chicken broth will do in a pinch, but it will not be quite as rich.

Chicken thighs: I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Thighs are a super flavorful part of the chicken, much more moist than chicken breasts. I tend to choose skinless because it is probably just a little bit healthier. It is fine to use chicken with the skin side and, in fact, will add to the flavor.

Egg noodles: Egg noodles are the perfect pasta for this dish, hearty enough to stand up to the chicken and wide and flat enough to hold onto the French onion soup broth. It’s fine to use a different type of pasta, but make sure it is something broad that will catch all the liquid.

Red wine: We are not drinkers, so we generally don’t have red wine on hand. As a result, I use red cooking wine from the supermarket. Please don’t tell my in-laws. That said, if you have wine at home, or you would be perfectly happy drinking the rest of the bottle, a dry red wine like Pinot Noir works great. Note: I have heard of people using white wine in French onion soup, but my husband swears that red wine is the only appropriate choice.

Cheese: Gruyère is the traditional cheese in French onion soup, but it can be pricy. If you need to make a substitution, Parmesan cheese and even Swiss Cheese (which is a lot like Gruyère) are reasonable substitutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the onions. Cut the onions in half and slice the halves. 

2. Mince two garlic cloves and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 

4. Add the onions and lightly salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Lower to medium heat and continue to sauté the onions, stirring from time-to-time. If you find they are browning too quickly, reduce to low heat. Continue cooking until the onions are very soft and jammy, about 45 minutes. 

6. In the last fifteen minutes before the onions are ready, prepare the chicken by heating 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet.

7. Pat the chicken dry and lightly salt and pepper both sides.

8. Carefully add the chicken to the oil and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per side. Start with the “skin” side, then flip. Remove to a platter.

9. Add the garlic to the onions and cook for 1 minute.

10. Sprinkle the thyme over the onions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

11. Pour the beef broth and red wine over the onions, bringing to a simmer.

12. Place the chicken in the pot with the onions and broth and cook at a simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature, taken with an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, reads 165 degrees F. 

13. Prepare a package of egg noodles according to package directions while the chicken cooks.

14. Drain the pasta when ready and add it to the French onion chicken, tossing to combine.

15. Sprinkle shredded Gruyère evenly over the chicken, pasta, and broth. Let the cheese melt before serving. I also like to serve the dish with extra cheese on the side.

Check out the complete step-by-step directions for this super easy recipe on the printable recipe card, below.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Reheat leftovers on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave.

Tips & Tricks

Cutting an onion can be tricky and even a little bit of a hazard. To slice an onion safely, cut it in half through the root and remove the papery exterior. This way the root holds the onion together. Carefully slice vertically from the root to the end. Once the slices are made, cut off the root of the onion.

If you, like me, are a fan of a delicious but easy-to-make dinner, check out some of these simple, family-friendly recipes:

30 Minute Dinner: Easy Skillet Taco Gnocchi

Easy Dinner: Layered Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

Easy Spinach Quiche with Store Bought Crust

Easy One Skillet Creamy Tuscan Chicken Dinner

Easy Recipe: Zucchini Noodles with Pasta and Parmesan

Easy 30 Minute One Pan Caprese Chicken