This caramelized onion tahini chicken pasta has all the good stuff—rich caramelized onions, juicy chicken, and a creamy, tangy sauce that comes together in minutes. It’s not your usual pasta dish, and that’s why I keep coming back to it. The onions add a sweet depth, the tahini makes it creamy without cream, and the lemon gives it a light kick. I like that it tastes complex but the process is simple. If you’re into bold, savory flavors and don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, this one’s for you.
What You’ll Need
For the onions and chicken:
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bulb of garlic, whole
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large chicken breast, cubed
For the tahini sauce:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt
- Black pepper to taste
Other ingredients:
- 1 cup pasta
- A handful of spinach (as much as you like)
How to make caramelized onion tahini chicken pasta
- Roast the onion and garlic
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a casserole, toss sliced onion and garlic cloves with olive oil and half the mixture of oregano, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cover with foil.
- Roast for 30 minutes, then remove the foil. Mix the onions to prevent burning on the edges.
- Roast uncovered for another 30 minutes until deep golden and soft.
- Cook the pasta
- Boil water with a bit of salt and olive oil.
- Add your pasta and cook until just tender.
- Drain and set aside. The oil keeps the pasta from sticking.
- Cook the chicken
- Heat a pan with a little oil.
- Marinate the cubed chicken with the rest of the spices, oregano, paprika salt and black pepper.
- Cook until golden and done. Set aside.
- Make the tahini sauce
- In a small bowl, mix tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well until smooth. Add a splash of warm water if it’s too thick.
- Assemble everything
- Remove the casserole from the oven.
- Slightly mash the roasted garlic and onion into a paste.
- Toss cooked pasta, spinach, chicken, and the tahini sauce into the casserole.
- Mix until everything is evenly coated in sauce.
- Serve
- Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.
- Serve warm.
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Tips for Making It Better
Caramelize your onions properly
Don’t rush the roasting. Keeping the foil on at first traps the steam and helps the onions soften. Removing the foil halfway through helps them brown and sweeten. Mix halfway to stop the edges from burning. This is where a lot of flavor comes from, so it’s worth the time.
Use roasted garlic in the sauce
Roasting the whole garlic cloves mellows the flavor and makes it spreadable like butter. You can use all of it if you’re a garlic fan, or just a few cloves for a lighter taste. It blends really well with the tahini.
Don’t skip the Dijon and Lemon Juice
Even if you’re not big on mustard, Dijon and lemon juice adds a sharp tangy kick that balances the rich onions and tahini. It helps cut through the creaminess without overpowering the dish. If you skip it, the sauce might feel flat.
Spinach goes in at the end
You want it just wilted, not soggy. Toss it in with the hot pasta and sauce. It adds a fresh element and breaks up the richness.
Cut the onions evenly
Thin, even slices help the onion cook at the same rate. If they’re too thick, they won’t caramelize properly and might burn. Too thin, and they disappear in the oven. Aim for consistent half-moons, not paper-thin slivers.
A mandoline makes this part easy. You get uniform, thin slices in seconds with zero guesswork. Just be careful—use the guard or a cut-resistant glove to protect your fingers. If you don’t have one, a sharp knife works fine, but take your time and try to keep the slices the same thickness.
Use any pasta shape you like
I use whatever short pasta I have—penne, rotini, bowtie. Anything with ridges or curves helps the tahini sauce cling better. Long pasta like spaghetti works too, but the texture hits different with short cuts.
Make it vegetarian
Skip the chicken and sub in chickpeas or roasted cauliflower. The tahini sauce still works great, and the caramelized onions give enough flavor to carry the dish. It’s still filling and satisfying without meat.
Make it ahead
This dish holds up well in the fridge. If you’re making lunch for the next day, store the sauce separately and mix it in after reheating. The pasta won’t dry out, and the flavors get even better.
Caramelized Onion Tahini Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- 1 casserole
Ingredients
For the onions and chicken:
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 bulb of garlic whole
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large chicken breast cubed
For the tahini sauce:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt
- Black pepper to taste
Other ingredients:
- 1 cup pasta
- A handful of spinach as much as you like
Instructions
Roast the onion and garlic
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a casserole, toss sliced onion and garlic cloves with olive oil and half the mixture of oregano, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cover with foil.
- Roast for 30 minutes, then remove the foil. Mix the onions to prevent burning on the edges.
- Roast uncovered for another 30 minutes until deep golden and soft.
Cook the pasta
- Boil water with a bit of salt and olive oil.
- Add your pasta and cook until just tender.
- Drain and set aside. The oil keeps the pasta from sticking.
Cook the chicken
- Heat a pan with a little oil.
- Marinate the cubed chicken with the rest of the spices, oregano, paprika salt and black pepper.
- Cook until golden and done. Set aside.
Make the tahini sauce
- In a small bowl, mix tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well until smooth. Add a splash of warm water if it’s too thick.
Assemble everything
- Remove the casserole from the oven.
- Slightly mash the roasted garlic and onion into a paste.
- Toss cooked pasta, spinach, chicken, and the tahini sauce into the casserole.
- Mix until everything is evenly coated in sauce.
Serve
- Taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.
- Serve warm.
