Name: French Onion Pastina with Crispy Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs; Kosher salt; 2 large yellow onions (diced); 2 sprigs thyme; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tsp balsamic vinegar; 1 cup stelline pasta; 2.5 cups chicken stock (+ more if needed); ½ cup heavy cream; ¾ cup Parmesan (finely grated); 1 dash Worcestershire sauce; Garnish: (fresh chives)

Mains | One-Pan

French Onion Pastina with Crispy Chicken Thighs

I’ve made quite a few French onion-inspired recipes over the years, and this French Onion Pastina with Crispy Chicken Thighs is my latest rendition! Creamy, cheesy pastina is paired with juicy chicken thighs that have perfectly golden, crispy skin. It’s got all those rich, savory flavors of French onion soup, with fresh thyme, Parmesan, and plenty of caramelized onions.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that everything cooks in the same pan. Starting the chicken thighs in a cold pan allows the fat to slowly render and the skin to get perfectly golden and crispy. Some of that chicken fat is then used to caramelize the onions, adding even more flavor to the pastina. The chicken finishes cooking right on top of the pasta, keeping the skin above the broth so it stays crispy.

Caramelizing the onions takes a little patience, but I promise it’s worth it! This is such a good dinner for a chilly night, and you can easily make the pastina on its own as a side dish if you want to serve it with something else.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

French onion soup meets pasta: All the rich, savoury flavour of French onion soup in a creamy pastina dish.
That crispy chicken skin: Starting the chicken thighs in a cold pan helps render the fat and gives you perfectly golden, crispy skin. Plus, all that rendered chicken fat adds so much flavour to the onions!
Super cozy: Creamy Parmesan pastina, caramelized onions, and juicy chicken thighs make such a comforting meal.
All made in one pan: From crisping the chicken to caramelizing the onions and cooking the pastina, everything comes together in the same pan for less cleanup and layers of flavour.

Ingredients

4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt
2 large yellow onions, diced
2 sprigs thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup stelline pasta
2.5 cups chicken stock + more if needed
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup Parmesan, finely grated
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Garnish: fresh chives

Prep Steps

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt.
Peel and dice the onions.
Peel and mince the garlic.
Finely grate the Parmesan cheese—I like using a microplane grater for a fluffy texture that melts beautifully.

How to Make It

Step One:

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt.

Step Two:

Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in a large, cold pan, then turn the heat to medium—I like cast iron here but any heavy-bottomed pot/pan works.

Step Three:

Allow the fat to render and the skin to crisp, without moving the chicken, for 10-12 minutes, until deeply golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The chicken should be almost cooked through at this point, but will finish cooking later with the pasta. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Step Four:

Reserve about 2 tbsp of the rendered chicken fat in the pan and discard the rest. Add the diced onions and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Stir, then cover and cook for 5-10 minutes over low heat to allow the onions to steam and soften.

Step Five:

Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the fresh thyme sprigs. Continue cooking for 25-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are deeply caramelized and golden brown.

Step Six:

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add the balsamic vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.

Step Seven:

Add the stelline pasta and stir to combine with the caramelized onions, lightly toasting for about a minute.

Step Eight:

Pour in the chicken stock and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Nestle the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up, making sure the crispy skin stays above the liquid.

Step Nine:

Continue cooking uncovered over medium-low heat until the pasta is tender, most of the stock has been absorbed, and the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F. If the pasta absorbs the liquid before it’s fully cooked, add more chicken stock, a splash at a time, until tender.

Step Ten:

Remove the chicken thighs and set aside. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream, finely grated Parmesan, and Worcestershire sauce until the cheese has melted and the pastina is creamy. If the pastina is too thick, loosen it with an additional splash of chicken stock.

Step Eleven:

Spoon the creamy pastina onto plates and top with the crispy chicken thighs. You can also return the chicken thighs to the pan for presentation before serving onto individual plates. Garnish with freshly minced chives and enjoy!

Substitutions You Can Try

Note: If you want to make the French onion pastina as a standalone side dish, you can skip the chicken entirely! Instead of using rendered chicken fat, start with 2 tbsp of butter and a little olive oil to caramelize the onions, then follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Chicken thighs: I can’t recommend bone-in, skin-on enough for this recipe, but you can use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer, or even chicken breasts. You’ll need a bit of olive oil and/or butter to sear them in, and to caramelize the onions in.

Fresh thyme: Fresh thyme adds that classic French onion soup flavour, but if you don’t have fresh, you can substitute about ½ tsp dried thyme.

Balsamic vinegar: Adds a little acidity and sweetness to balance the richness of the onions. You can substitute a splash of dry white wine or sherry vinegar.

Worcestershire sauce: Adds a little savoury depth. You can leave it out if you don’t have any, or substitute a small splash of soy sauce.

Stelline: I used stelline because it’s one of my favourites, but traditional pastina, acini di pepe, or orzo will work too.

Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works too, or you could also use beef stock for an even richer French onion flavour.

Heavy cream: Half-and-half can be substituted for a slightly lighter result.

Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan melts beautifully into the pastina. Pecorino Romano is another good option, or Gruyère would also be delicious here, especially if you want to lean further into the French onion soup flavours.

Make it Gluten-Free: Use your favourite gluten-free pastina or orzo, and ensure the Worcestershire sauce you’re using is GF.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the chicken and pastina separately, if possible, to help preserve the crispy skin. Keep in mind that the pastina will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so it will thicken a bit.

Reheat the pastina gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock or cream to loosen it up. For the chicken, I recommend reheating in the oven or air fryer to help crisp the skin back up.

Creamy pastina and crispy chicken thighs with all the flavors of French onion soup…what’s not to love?

If you make this recipe, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!

@britacooks

Mains | One-Pan