Cheesy French Onion Chicken Casserole takes less than 10 minutes to prep and also has less than 10 ingredients! This decadent French onion chicken and rice bake is still one of my most popular and famous recipes. It's a comforting and decadent mashup of French onion soup with roasted chicken!
When I was young, one of my favorite meals my mom made was No Peek Chicken, a one-pan entree that is quick to assemble and one of the best set-it-and-forget-it meals. One night when I made it for my family, after some dinner talk around the table, I knew I could take this dish to the next level!
This French onion chicken rice bake combines two delicious recipes, French onion soup and roast chicken, into a delicious one-pan casserole meal. Better yet, this recipe is great to make ahead or meal prep since it takes 10 minutes to prepare with less than 10 ingredients.
Save The Recipe!
Add your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox+ you’ll receive all our newest recipes!
This next level French Onion Chicken has a depth of flavor that is unmatched. The addition of French onion soup, cheese, and crispy fried onions will leave the family asking “When are we having this again?”
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Magical Combination of Flavors: Chicken and rice with French onion soup were flavors and textures that were meant to be together!
- One Pan Masterpiece: A recipe that mixes together all in one pan and bakes while you can takes care of other tasks is a win!
- Quick Meal to Assemble: Requires minimal prep and takes less than 10 minutes to combine before baking!
- Cozy Comfort Food: This French onion chicken with rice is hearty and filling. The warm, creamy and cheesy texture hits all the cozy senses perfectly!
Ingredients in French Onion Chicken Casserole
Scroll down to see the ingredient amounts in the recipe card.
- Yellow Onion: Adds flavor, texture and healthy nutrients to the casserole.
- French Onion Soup: Contains sweet caramelized onions and a rich broth base that adds savoriness and flavor to the dish.
- Broth: Provides the moisture necessary to cook the rice and chicken as well as provides savory flavors.
- Long Grain Rice (see Frequently Asked Questions below): Soaks up and savory juices of the dish and becomes incredibly tender.
- Butter: Enhances the richness of the rice and adds a slightly creamy texture.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs: Pairs perfectly with the savory flavors of the seasonings and a hearty dose of protein.
- Shredded Cheese: As with any cheesy casserole, this adds a texture and an ooey gooey goodness to the casserole.
- Lipton Onion Soup Mix: Gives this dish an intense savoriness and boost of beefy caramelized onion flavor.
- French’s Crispy Fried Onion: Adds the perfect pop of onion crunch.
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make French Onion Chicken and Rice Bake
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, whisk together sliced onion, French onion soup, broth, and rice.
- Lay the butter slices on top followed by the chicken. Sprinkle evenly cheese and onion soup mix on top.
- Cover the French onion chicken tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil, evenly distribute the fried onion pieces, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
How to Make French Onion Chicken in the Crockpot
See the ingredient steps below for making this recipe in the slow cooker. This makes it the perfect meal to prep while away from home for the day!
- Lower the rice volume to 1 to 1 ¼ cups. Make sure to use rinsed long-grain white rice. Minute rice will be mushy. Other rice varieties might work, but I cannot speak to them.
- Sprinkle the Lipton Onion Soup Mix before sprinkling on the cheese.
- Cook covered securely with the lid on HIGH for 2-3 hours. As seen in the video, the liquid will completely absorb and rice will be tender but not mushy. Slow cooker times/temps can vary. Use your judgement on your cooking model.
- Sprinkle the Crispy Fried Onions on once the cook-time is complete.
Tips and Substitutions
- It is important that the pan is SECURELY covered with the foil. The steam must be captured in order for the rice to cook properly.
- There are a lot of flavors that come from the cheese, onion soup mix and French onion soup mix. However, you can season the chicken as you prefer.
- Searing the chicken first 1-2 minutes per side in oil in a skillet over high heat is optional. The bake time should be about the same or 5-10 minutes less.
- You can use homemade French onion soup rather than canned if you prefer.
- Swap chicken thighs for breasts if you prefer dark meat, just make sure the chicken comes to the right temperature at 165ºF at the end of baking. The chicken shouldn't be thicker than ½-inch.
- A homemade version of 1 Lipton Onion Soup Mix packet can be used instead of store-bought. Simply combine 2 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 4 cubes regular or reduced sodium beef bouillon, crumbled, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Adding the French Fried Onions at the end of baking keeps them crispy! Be sure to follow this step.
What to serve with French Onion Chicken and Rice
French onion chicken bake is such a comforting one-pan easy dinner recipe, I love to serve a simple vegetable recipe on the side. Try my honey roasted carrots, crispy green beans, or easy cooked vegetables for a simple side dish.
If you prefer a side that's a bit more decadent to compliment the richness of the French onion chicken and rice casserole, my prosciutto wrapped asparagus or iceberg wedge salad are both so delicious.
Storage and Freezing
Store French onion chicken casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
It's best to reheat the casserole in the oven at 300ºF for 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
While it can be tempting to try different types of rice, be sure to take into account the liquid ratio and the baking time. From personal experience, I have NEVER had uncooked rice at the end of bake time following this exact recipe.
For other types of rice, here are some suggestions:
Brown Rice: needs 5-10 minutes more covered bake time
Minute Rice: needs 5-10 minutes less covered bake time. I have not made it with this rice, but I’ve been given feedback that it works great as well. My mom’s No Peek Chicken had minute rice and a similar baking time and temperature, so I would imagine it works just fine.
Short Grain: not recommended as it becomes too soft and mushy
Did you cover the dish tightly? If not, there wasn’t enough steam to cook the rice properly. Did you change any of the ingredients in the rest of the recipe? If you use fewer/more/different ingredients, I cannot guarantee the same result.
Rinsing or washing rice removes that excess starch, resulting in grains that are more separate when cooked.
The rice can be decreased to 1 cup if desired.
You can use boneless, skinless tenders as well. For the tenders, you’ll likely need 5-10 minutes less covered bake time. The chicken shouldn't be thicker than ½-inch.
You can assemble this dish up to a day in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. You’ll need to allow the dish to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Yes! Follow these instructions:
1. Lower the rice volume to 1 to 1 ¼ cups. Make sure to use rinsed long-grain white rice. Minute rice will be mushy. Other rice varieties might work, but I cannot speak to them.
2. Sprinkle the Lipton Onion Soup Mix before sprinkling on the cheese.
3. Cook covered securely with the lid on HIGH for 2-3 hours. As seen in the video, the liquid will completely absorb and the rice will be tender but not mushy. Slow cooker times/temps can vary. Use your judgment on your cooking model.
4. Sprinkle the Crispy Fried Onions on once the cook time is complete.
Be sure to put the fried onions on after the casserole has initially baked just for the final 15 minutes of cooking. This way they will stay nice and crispy.
Combine 2 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 4 cubes regular or reduced sodium beef bouillon, crumbled, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Try my honey roasted carrots, crispy green beans, or easy cooked vegetables for a simple side dish.
Try these Other Casserole Recipes:
- Queso Chicken and Rice
- Southwest Queso Chicken and Rice
- Savory Rice Recipe
- Creamy Chicken Casserole Recipe
French Onion Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 10.5 ounces can Campbell’s French Onion Soup
- 14.5 ounces can chicken or beef broth regular or low-sodium
- 1 ½ cups long grain rice rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup butter cut into slices
- 2-2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs ½-inch thick
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese mozzarella or an Italian cheese blend
- 1 ounce packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
- 1 cup French’s Crispy Fried Onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To a 13”x9” baking dish, whisk together sliced onion, French onion soup, broth and rice.
- Disperse butter on top followed by the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese and onion soup mix on top.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil. Evenly distribute the fried onion pieces on top.
- Bake an additional 15 minutes. Using a meat thermometer, ensure the chicken has reached a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
Video
Notes
1. Lower the rice volume to 1 to 1 ¼ cups. Make sure to use rinsed long-grain white rice. Minute rice will be mushy. Other rice varieties might work, but I cannot speak to them.
2. Sprinkle the Lipton Onion Soup Mix before sprinkling on the cheese.
3. Cook covered securely with the lid on HIGH for 2-3 hours. As seen in the video, the liquid will completely absorb and rice will be tender but not mushy. Slow cooker times/temps can vary. Use your judgement on your cooking model.
4. Sprinkle the Crispy Fried Onions on once the cook-time is complete.
-
- It is important that the pan is SECURELY covered with the foil. The steam must be captured in order for the rice to cook properly.
- You can use homemade French onion soup rather than canned if you prefer.
- There are a lot of flavors that come from the cheese, onion soup mix and French onion soup. However, you can season the chicken as you prefer.
- Searing the chicken first 1-2 minutes per side in oil in a skillet over high heat is optional. The bake time should be about the same or 5-10 minutes less.
- Swap chicken thighs for breasts if you prefer dark meat, just make sure the chicken comes to the right temperature at 165ºF at the end of baking. It's best if your chicken is ½-inch thick.
- A homemade version of Lipton Onion Soup Mix can be used instead of store-bought. Simply combine 2 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 4 cubes regular or reduced sodium beef bouillon, crumbled, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Adding the French Fried Onions at the end of baking keeps them crispy! Be sure to follow this step.
Tammy
I can almost smell this. def give it a try.
thks
Laura Ashley
YAY!! I hope you LOVE it!! 🙂
Nancy
Can you substitute minute rice
Laura Ashley
I noted rice substitutes in the Frequently Asked Questions section 🙂 I hope you love it!
Madeline
Wow I did not expect this to be as good as it was. I was worried it would lack flavor. That was absolutely not the case!
I did end up adding a bit more seasoning. I seasoned onions with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. And then in addition to that I tossed my diced chicken breast In olive oil and an addition French onion soup packet. With added salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It was sooo flavorful and delicious. Absolutely will be making this again. Amazing week night dinner!
Laura Ashley
This review just made my heart smile! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I love that you made it and that it surpassed your expectations!! Thank you SO much!!!🥰
Sheri
I didn't have a plan for dinner today and wanted to use what I had on hand so I tried this recipe out -- it was a huge hit with my family and I'll definitely make it again!!!
Because I didn't have everything that was needed on hand, I did make a couple of slight alterations but nothing too major. I didn't have any canned French onion soup so I added a can of cream of mushroom soup and a packet of the French onion soup mix to the chicken broth and rice mixture instead; to that I also added sauteed onions (rather than adding the raw sliced onion on top with the chicken). Full disclosure: I completely forgot to add the butter, but I had enough moisture so it didn't hurt anything. I also seasoned the chicken breasts lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and then coated both sides in a mixture of Vego brand Italian bread crumbs and a packet of French onion soup mix and placed them on top of the rice/liquid mixture. I covered it with foil and cooked for the full hour and 15 minutes, then removed the foil added a generous sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and French fried onions and broiled it for 2-1/2 minutes to brown up the toppings.
It turned out AMAZING!!! It was so easy and turned out perfectly!!! The chicken was perfectly cooked -- moist with a slight crust from the soup mix/bread crumb coating, and the entire dish was flavorful and rich and was enjoyed by all!!! THANK YOU so much for sharing this recipe, I think it's one my family will ask for regularly!!!
Laura Ashley
Yes. Yes. YES!!!! This review makes my heart so happy to hear!! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I LOVE that you made it and that you liked it so much!! I have to admit, I've forgotten the butter once and felt the same way as you 😉 Also, your seasoning sounds delish as well! Again, thank you so much for sharing your experience making this and sharing how much you liked it!
Jennifer
This recipe was so good! Everyone loved it. I made just as described in the recipe. I will definitely make again. Thank you!!!
Laura Ashley
YAYAYAY!!! That is AWESOME! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 So happy everyone loved it!
Dar
This recipe sounds delicious, but I'm cutting the recipe to 4 servings, Is it okay to use a little smaller baking dish? I'm concerned the reduced fluid amounts might not cover enough to cook the rice properly in a 13 x 9. Thank you.
Laura Ashley
A 9x9 should work for cutting it back 🙂 I hope you love it!
Samantha Rustemeyer
I followed the recipe and sadly my rice didn’t seem to cook all the way 🙁 other wise it was delicious. Any ideas why the rice wouldn’t cook all the way?
Laura Ashley
I'm happy to hear you liked it. Things I ask to troubleshoot that outcome are....Did you cover the dish tightly? If not, there wasn’t enough steam to cook the rice properly. Did you change any of the ingredients in the rest of the recipe? If you use fewer/more/different ingredients, I cannot guarantee the same result.
Stephanie Maks
Could you use boneless pork chops instead of chicken? Trying to use up freezer food!!
Laura Ashley
Yes, you could use those as well 🙂 They'll just be a little less tender, but the flavor is amazing!
Tina
Could you add mushrooms?
Laura Ashley
Yes! I think that would be great! 🙂
Karen Usevitch
This turned out so good. The rice was perfectly cooked. My family raved over this. This will go into my recipe rotation. I didn't have the French Onion Soup so I used a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup and a packet of French Onion Dip. Thanks Laura for such a great recipe.
Laura Ashley
AWWWW!! This is amazing! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 You are SO SO sweet! Your kind note and review means a lot to me!