French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole bakes raw chicken and uncooked rice together in one dish, in a mix of French onion soup, broth and sliced onion, under mozzarella and onion soup mix, then finishes with a crunchy layer of crispy fried onions. There’s nothing to cook ahead: everything goes into a 13×9-inch dish and into the oven. It serves 8.
How to make it: Whisk the sliced onion, French onion soup, broth and rinsed rice in the baking dish. Scatter butter over it, lay the chicken on top and sprinkle with mozzarella and onion soup mix. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 1 hour 15 minutes. Uncover, add the fried onions and bake 15 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- No pre-cooking: the chicken and rice go in raw and finish together.
- Real French onion flavor: French onion soup, sliced onion and onion soup mix, all in one dish.
- Crunchy topping: crispy fried onions go on at the end so they stay crisp.
- Feeds a crowd: one 13×9-inch dish serves 8.
Ingredient Notes
Long-grain rice: One and a half cups, uncooked, rinsed and drained. Use regular long-grain rice, not instant.
French onion soup and broth: One 10.5-ounce can of French onion soup and one 14.5-ounce can of chicken or beef broth, regular or low-sodium. This is the liquid that cooks the rice.
Chicken: Two to 2 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, about 1/2 inch thick. If your breasts are thicker, slice or pound them to about 1/2 inch.
Onion: One small yellow onion, thinly sliced, cooks down into the rice.
Butter: A quarter cup, cut into slices and scattered over the rice.
Cheese and soup mix: One and a half cups of shredded mozzarella (or an Italian cheese blend) and a 1-ounce packet of onion soup mix go over the chicken.
Crispy fried onions: One cup, added after the foil comes off.
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) French onion soup
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken or beef broth, regular or low-sodium
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, uncooked, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup butter, cut into slices
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, about 1/2 inch thick
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or an Italian cheese blend)
- 1 packet (1 ounce) onion soup mix
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
How to Make French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the rice base. In a 13×9-inch baking dish, whisk together the sliced onion, French onion soup, broth and rice.
3. Layer the butter, chicken and cheese. Scatter the butter slices over the rice mixture, then lay the chicken on top. Sprinkle the mozzarella and the onion soup mix over the chicken.
4. Bake covered. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. Add the fried onions. Carefully remove the foil and scatter the crispy fried onions over the top.
6. Finish baking. Bake for 15 minutes more, until a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F.
7. Rest and serve. Let the casserole sit uncovered for 5 minutes before serving.
How Raw Rice and Chicken Finish Together
Baking raw rice and raw chicken in the same dish works when the layers and the timing are right. Here’s the order:
| Stage | What happens | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom layer | Rice, sliced onion, French onion soup and broth whisked together | Before baking |
| Top layer | Butter, then chicken, then mozzarella and onion soup mix | Before baking |
| Covered bake | Foil on tight at 350°F | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Uncovered bake | Fried onions on top | 15 minutes, chicken to 165°F |
| Rest | Uncovered on the counter | 5 minutes |
Keep the chicken on top. The rice sits in the liquid underneath and the chicken bakes above it.
Seal the foil tightly. The rice needs the covered time to turn tender, so press the foil firmly around the edges of the dish.
Save the fried onions for last. They go on only after the foil comes off, so they stay crunchy.
Check the chicken, not the bubbles. Bubbling edges and tender rice aren’t a doneness test. USDA FSIS says chicken and casseroles are done at 165°F, so check the thickest piece.
Give it a few minutes. The sauce thickens a little as it rests, which makes it easier to scoop.
Variations
- Chicken thighs: use boneless, skinless thighs in place of breasts, about 1/2 inch thick.
- Beef broth: use it instead of chicken broth for a deeper, more French onion soup-like flavor.
- Different cheese: an Italian cheese blend instead of mozzarella.
- Shortcut with cooked chicken and rice: stir cooked chicken and cooked rice into a creamy onion sauce, top with cheese and fried onions and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. It uses its own amounts, not the ones above.
- Caramelized onion version: slowly brown a big batch of sliced onions in butter before building the casserole and top it with Gruyere.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. USDA FSIS says to eat them within 3 to 4 days. The fried onions will soften in the fridge.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months; kept longer, they can lose moisture and flavor. Thaw in the refrigerator, or reheat from frozen, which takes about one and a half times as long.
Reheat: Reheat covered, so it keeps its moisture, until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
This casserole has your protein and starch in one dish. For a vegetable on the side, try roasted asparagus and carrots. Love French onion flavor? Make 4-ingredient French onion chicken or French onion pork chops. For more chicken and rice bakes, try creamy chicken rice casserole, broccoli rice cheese and chicken casserole or one pot cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I cook the chicken and rice first?
No. Both go into the dish raw and cook together under the foil.
How do I make sure the rice gets tender?
Use regular long-grain rice, rinse it, keep it in the liquid under the chicken and seal the foil tightly for the full 1 hour 15 minutes.
When do the fried onions go on?
After the foil comes off, for the last 15 minutes of baking, so they stay crisp.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs about 1/2 inch thick work the same way. Cook them to 165°F.
Which cheese works best?
Mozzarella or an Italian cheese blend.
Final Notes
This is a hands-off dinner: about 10 minutes to put together, then the oven does the rest. Just remember the foil goes on tight and the fried onions go on last. If you make it, tell me in the comments whether you used breasts or thighs.
French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 10.5 ounces French onion soup 1 can
- 14.5 ounces chicken or beef broth 1 can; regular or low-sodium
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice uncooked, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup butter cut into slices
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs about 1/2 inch thick
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or an Italian cheese blend
- 1 packet onion soup mix 1 ounce
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- In a 13x9-inch baking dish, whisk together the sliced onion, French onion soup, broth and rice.
- Scatter the butter slices over the rice mixture, then lay the chicken on top. Sprinkle the mozzarella and the onion soup mix over the chicken.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil and scatter the crispy fried onions over the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes more, until a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F.
- Let the casserole sit uncovered for 5 minutes before serving.
