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Creamy French onion chicken orzo baked in a skillet, with golden seared chicken thighs, caramelized onions, melted cheese, and fresh thyme on top.

French Onion Chicken Orzo

5 from 1 vote
A one-pan French Onion Chicken Orzo that delivers the rich, sweet-savory flavors of French onion soup with tender chicken thighs, creamy orzo, and melted Gruyère cheese. Weeknight easy — restaurant elegant.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Caramelizing Onions 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American, French-Inspired
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 6 Boneless chicken thighs - Skin-on or skinless
  • 3 large Yellow onions - Thinly sliced
  • 1.5 cups Orzo pasta - Uncooked
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese - Shredded or sliced
  • 2 tablespoon Butter - For caramelizing onions
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil - For searing chicken
  • 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 2 cups Chicken broth - Low-sodium preferred
  • 4 sprigs Fresh thyme - Plus extra for garnish
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • ½ cup Dry white wine - Optional
Flavor Builders
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Salt - Adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper - Adjust to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven (12-inch recommended)
  • 1 Sharp knife (For slicing onions)
  • 1 Wooden spoon (For stirring + deglazing)
  • 1 Measuring cups
  • 1 Oven (For finishing the dish)

Method
 

  1. Caramelize sliced onions in butter until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  2. Season and sear chicken thighs until browned, then remove and set aside.
  3. Add garlic, deglaze with wine, and build broth mixture with seasonings.
  4. Stir in orzo, nestle chicken into pan, cover, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
  5. Top with Gruyère and broil until golden and bubbly; rest 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 350gCalories: 620kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 37gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 760mgPotassium: 540mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 550IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 280mgIron: 2.2mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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