Incredible caramelized onion spinach chicken pasta bake made with two full bags of spinach for extra veggies and a creamy, lightened up parmesan cheese sauce. This protein-packed, healthy chicken pasta bake is the perfect weeknight dinner when you're craving something warm and comforting!
In the same pot you cooked chicken, you can caramelize your onions: add in ½ tablespoon olive oil or butter, onions and salt and pepper; stir to coat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally; check your onions every 5-10 minutes until they have completely caramelized and turned golden brown. If the onions appear to be getting too dark or sticking too much to the bottom of the pan, then simply reduce the heat a bit. You can also add in a few teaspoons of water to help deglaze the pan. Once the onions have caramelized, reduce heat to low and stir in spinach with the onions; cook until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl with the chicken.
If you prefer, you can skip the breadcrumbs and the baking of the pasta. We do this often when we want to eat quicker and it's still just as delicious! Feel free to crumble crackers on top if you'd still like a little buttery crunch.
Freezer friendly option: simply make the recipe as directed, except do not bake it with the breadcrumbs on top. Instead, put it in a freezer-safe container pan like these, cover and place in a freezer safe bag until you’re ready to bake. Once ready to bake, thaw out the chicken pasta bake in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, bake as directed!