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French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole

French onion chicken orzo casserole with deeply caramelized onions, creamy orzo, and a golden Gruyere top baked until bubbly. A one-skillet start followed by oven baking makes the chicken tender and the cheese beautifully browned.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 760
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
  • Fresh thyme for garnish
Salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F, and set out an oven-safe skillet for baking.
  2. Melt the butter in the oven-safe skillet over medium heat, then add the thinly sliced onions and cook 30-35 minutes until deeply caramelized, stirring occasionally so they brown evenly.
  3. Add the minced garlic and dried thyme, and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the dry white wine and cook for 2 more minutes to reduce slightly.
  5. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and uncooked orzo, then stir in the diced chicken until everything is evenly combined.
  6. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted and the sauce turns creamy.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste, scatter the shredded Gruyere over the top, and finish by placing the skillet in the oven.
  8. Bake 25-30 minutes until the orzo is cooked through, the chicken is done, and the cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges; garnish with fresh thyme before serving.

Notes

For best browning, don’t stir the top layer of Gruyere once it’s sprinkled—leave it to melt and turn golden. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to loosen the orzo. Freezing is not recommended because cream cheese can change texture when thawed. For a lighter swap, use low-fat cream cheese for a slightly lower-fat casserole while keeping the same bake time.