French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole Recipe
Are you craving a cozy, comforting, and deeply savory dinner tonight? This incredible French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole recipe combines everything you love about a classic soup into a hearty bake.
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven
- Sturdy wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Medium mixing bowl
- Cheese grater for fresh cheese
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – 1.5 pounds, cut into bite-sized cubes
- Large yellow onions – 3, sliced very thin
- Uncooked orzo pasta – 1.5 cups
- Low-sodium beef broth – 3 cups
- Unsalted butter – 2 tablespoons
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Garlic – 2 cloves, finely minced
- Fresh thyme leaves – 1 tablespoon, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Worcestershire sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Gruyere cheese – 1.5 cups, freshly shredded
- Swiss cheese – 0.5 cup, shredded
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Sear the Chicken
- Heat the olive oil in your large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then cook them until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate for later.
2. Caramelize the Onions
- Melt the butter in the exact same skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced yellow onions and cook them slowly for about twenty minutes, stirring often, until they turn very soft, sweet, and deep brown.
3. Add Aromatics and Seasoning
- Stir the minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and Worcestershire sauce directly into the caramelized onions. Cook the mixture for about one more minute until you can smell the wonderful garlic aroma throughout your kitchen.
4. Toast the Orzo Pasta
- Pour the dry uncooked orzo pasta right into the skillet with your sweet onions. Stir everything together well for two minutes to toast the pasta slightly, which adds a deep, nutty flavor to the dish.
5. Pour in the Liquid
- Pour the beef broth into the skillet while scraping up all the tasty brown bits from the bottom. Return the cooked chicken pieces and any juices from the plate back into the pasta mixture.
6. Simmer the Casserole
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover the pan and let it simmer gently for about ten to twelve minutes until the orzo absorbs most of the rich broth.
7. Melt the Cheese Top
- Preheat your oven broiler while removing the skillet lid. Sprinkle the shredded Gruyere and Swiss cheeses evenly over the top, then broil for three minutes until the cheese is bubbly and beautifully golden brown.
Notes
- Use different cheese: If you cannot find Gruyere cheese, standard provolone or shredded mozzarella work as great replacements.
- Add a splash of wine: Deglaze your pan with a quarter cup of dry white wine before adding the beef broth.
- Try chicken thighs: Boneless chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy and add even more flavor to this comforting oven bake.
- Keep onions low and slow: Do not rush the onion caramelization step because slow cooking coaxes out their natural sweetness.
- Watch the broiler closely: Cheese can burn in a matter of seconds under a hot broiler, so stay nearby.
- Keep any leftover casserole in a tightly sealed airtight container inside your refrigerator for up to four days.
- Do not freeze this salad with the cheese top in a freezer-safe container for more than two months.
- Add a tiny splash of extra beef broth before reheating if the orzo pasta seems a little too dry.