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French Onion Chicken & Rice Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 53 reviews

French Onion Chicken & Rice is a comforting one-dish meal that combines rich caramelized onions, tender chicken, creamy rice, and melted Gruyere cheese. This recipe features slow-cooked sweet onions infused with garlic, herbs, and a splash of brandy, layered over a flavorful mixture of sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and aromatic rice cooked in chicken stock and cream. Finished under the broiler for a golden bubbly top, this dish brings together classic French onion soup flavors in a hearty, family-friendly casserole.

Ingredients

Scale

Onion Mixture

  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 pounds sweet onion (about four large onions), cut in half and sliced with the grain into thick slices
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dry tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1/3 cup brandy or white wine
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Mushrooms and Rice

  • 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 ½ cups white uncooked rice
  • 2 cups baby spinach, packed (about 2–3 ounces)
  • 3 cups chicken stock (homemade or boxed)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3–4 cups cooked chicken, torn into bite-sized pieces (from cooking your own or rotisserie chicken)

Topping

  • 4 ounces Gruyere Swiss cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Caramelize the Onions: Melt two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick high-sided skillet over medium-low heat. Slice the onions in half vertically and then into thick half-moon slices with the grain. Add the onions to the pan and let cook untouched for 15 minutes. Stir and cook for another 15 minutes, then continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or longer until deeply caramelized to your liking.
  2. Add Garlic and Herbs: Turn the heat to medium and add the minced garlic, cooking for one minute until fragrant. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, dry tarragon, and dry thyme and cook for another minute to combine the flavors.
  3. Deglaze with Brandy: Remove the pan from heat and carefully add the brandy or white wine to avoid flare-ups. Cook for about five minutes until the liquid evaporates completely.
  4. Finish Onion Mixture: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, then remove from heat and set the caramelized onion mixture aside.
  5. Cook Mushrooms: In a medium pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sliced mushrooms without any butter or oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and reduced in moisture, about 5-10 minutes.
  6. Sauté Rice: Add the remaining one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil to the mushrooms. Once melted, add the uncooked rice, stirring and cooking for five minutes to lightly brown the rice and coat it with fat and mushroom flavor.
  7. Wilt Spinach: Add the baby spinach to the rice mixture and cook just until wilted, about one minute.
  8. Add Stock and Simmer: Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  9. Combine Cream and Chicken: Remove the lid and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked torn chicken pieces. Heat gently just until the chicken is warmed through and the mixture is hot.
  10. Assemble the Casserole: Spray a 9x13x3-inch casserole dish with kitchen pan spray. Pour the rice and chicken mixture into the dish, then evenly top with the caramelized onions.
  11. Add Cheese and Broil: Sprinkle the shredded Gruyere cheese evenly over the top. Place the casserole under the broiler and broil just until the cheese melts, becomes browned, bubbly, and slightly golden, watching carefully to prevent burning.
  12. Serve: Remove from the broiler and serve immediately while hot, enjoying this rich, creamy, and flavorful French onion-inspired chicken and rice casserole.

Notes

  • For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the brandy with additional chicken stock or white grape juice.
  • Use homemade chicken stock for deeper flavor, or high-quality store-bought stock for convenience.
  • Gruyere cheese can be substituted with Swiss or mozzarella cheese if desired.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated covered in the oven or microwave.
  • Use a rotisserie chicken to save time on cooking and shredding the chicken.
  • To achieve perfectly caramelized onions, be patient and cook them low and slow without rushing the process.

Keywords: French onion chicken, chicken and rice casserole, caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese, creamy chicken rice bake

Find it online: https://platedandproud.com/french-onion-chicken-and-rice-recipe/