Description
This French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole is rich, cozy, and irresistibly cheesy! Tender chicken, caramelized onions, and orzo pasta come together in a creamy, savory sauce inspired by classic French onion soup. It’s the perfect weeknight comfort meal—warm, hearty, and full of deep, layered flavor! 🧅🍗🧀
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 3 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (optional for extra melt)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Fresh thyme, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until caramelized.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the uncooked orzo and cook for 1–2 minutes to lightly toast it.
- Pour in the broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine.
- Fold in the shredded chicken, then season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with Gruyère and mozzarella.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Let cool slightly, garnish with fresh thyme, and serve warm!
Notes
💡 Tip: For even deeper flavor, use beef broth and add a splash of Worcestershire sauce—just like classic French onion soup! You can also add mushrooms or spinach for extra texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: french onion chicken, orzo casserole, comfort food, chicken bake, cheesy casserole