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French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole

French onion chicken orzo casserole with slow-caramelized onions, tender seared chicken, and creamy orzo baked until golden with melted Gruyère bubbling on top. This one-pan chicken dinner delivers a cheesy crust and rich beefy broth flavor in a comforting casserole bake.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 750
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 cloves
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
dry 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
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
black pepper
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper to taste
Gruyère cheese
  • 1.5 cup Gruyère cheese shredded

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Caramelize the onions
  1. Melt butter with olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat, add sliced onions with a pinch of salt, and cook 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and dark golden.
Cook chicken and build the casserole
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Push the onions to the side, add chicken pieces, and sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden.
  3. Add garlic, dry orzo pasta, beef broth, chicken broth, 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 so the surface looks fully covered.
  2. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes at 375°F until the orzo is cooked and the cheese is golden and bubbly.
  3. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes so the bubbling settles and it scoops cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the onions at medium-low so they caramelize slowly instead of browning too fast—stir occasionally and be patient for deep flavor. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3–4 days; reheat in a covered oven-safe dish at 325°F until hot. Freezing is not recommended because orzo can soften when thawed. For a lighter option, use part-skim Gruyère to reduce calories while keeping a melty top.