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French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole

French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole with deeply caramelized onions and melty Gruyere over creamy, stove-to-oven orzo. A one-skillet method that bakes until the cheese is golden and the orzo is tender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, diced
Onions
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
Garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Orzo pasta
  • 1.5 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
Beef broth
  • 3 cup beef broth
Dry white wine
  • 1 cup dry white wine
Cream cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Gruyere cheese
  • 2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
Fresh thyme
  • 1 Fresh thyme for garnish
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Caramelize the onions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, then cook the onions for 30-35 minutes until deeply caramelized, stirring occasionally and watching for deep golden-brown edges.
Build the casserole base
  1. Add the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Add the white wine and cook for 2 more minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  3. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and uncooked orzo, then stir in the diced chicken until evenly combined.
  4. Bring everything to a simmer, then stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted and the mixture looks creamy.
  5. Season with salt and pepper, scatter the shredded Gruyere over the top, and ensure most of the cheese is visible for browning.
Bake until golden and cooked
  1. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375F until the orzo is cooked through, the chicken is done, and the cheese is golden with lightly browned spots.
  2. Top with fresh thyme just before serving so the garnish stays bright and aromatic.

Notes

Pro tip: Use diced chicken that’s close in size so it finishes evenly with the orzo during baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven at 325F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese (and keep the same baking time) for a similar creamy texture.