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French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole

French onion chicken orzo casserole with slow-cooked caramelized onions, seared chicken, and a cheesy Gruyère-baked orzo base. Golden, bubbly cheese and tender chicken show through a crisp top for an easy one-pan comfort food casserole.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 600
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
Yellow onions
  • 2 yellow onions thinly sliced
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
Orzo pasta
  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
Beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
Chicken broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Gruyère cheese
  • 1.5 cup Gruyère cheese shredded
Salt and black pepper
  • 0.25 salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Caramelize onions
  1. Melt butter with olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat, then add sliced onions with a pinch of salt.
  2. Cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply caramelized.
Sear chicken and simmer orzo
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Push onions to the side, add chicken pieces, and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden.
  3. Add garlic, dry orzo pasta, both broths, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh thyme leaves, then stir to combine and bring everything to a simmer.
Bake and serve
  1. Top evenly with shredded Gruyère cheese.
  2. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until orzo is cooked and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
  3. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the best caramelized flavor, keep the onions at a steady medium-low and stir only occasionally so they can brown deeply (avoid rushing with high heat). Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the orzo texture can soften after thawing. Dietary swap: use gluten-free orzo pasta to make this gluten-free while keeping the same broth and baking time.