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French onion chicken orzo casserole in oven-safe cast iron skillet with 30-40 minutes slowly caramelized yellow onions, two cups shredded rotisserie chicken, one and a half cups toasted orzo, one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, heavy cream, and melted Gruyère cheese baked uncovered at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until gloriously golden and bubbling

French Onion Chicken Orzo Casserole

Slowly caramelized onions, seared chicken, and dry orzo cooked together in a rich savory broth and finished under a golden Gruyere crust in the oven. One pan, deeply developed flavor, ready in about 75 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 17 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 534
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
  • 1.5 cups dry orzo
  • 3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or additional chicken broth
  • 2.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss
  • fresh thyme or parsley to finish

Equipment

  • 12-inch oven-safe skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon
  • Oven

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Caramelize onions in butter and olive oil over medium-low heat for 30 to 35 minutes until deeply amber.
  3. Add garlic and thyme, stir 1 minute.
  4. Sear chicken over medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir into onions.
  5. Add flour and stir 1 minute to cook out the raw taste.
  6. Deglaze with wine, then add broth, Worcestershire, and soy sauce. Simmer briefly.
  7. Add dry orzo and press into liquid. Stir once to distribute.
  8. Top with Gruyere and bake uncovered at 375°F for 22 to 26 minutes until golden.
  9. Rest 5 minutes before serving with fresh herbs.

Notes

  • Never rush the onion caramelization - low and slow is essential for sweetness, not bitterness.
  • Press orzo into the broth before baking so it cooks evenly throughout.
  • Add warm broth when reheating leftovers as orzo absorbs liquid overnight.
  • Caramelized onions can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.