French Onion Chicken & Rice Casserole
If you love French onion soup, you are going to LOVE this French Onion Chicken & Rice Casserole! It has tender chicken baked right on top of creamy, savory French onion rice, then everything gets topped with melty provolone cheese and crispy fried onions.
And the best part? Everything cooks together in one casserole dish! That’s my favorite!
This is one of those easy dinners that feels like comfort food without requiring a lot of work. You don’t have to cook the rice separately or make a sauce on the stovetop. Just mix the rice and liquid together, add the chicken, spread French onion dip over the top, and let the oven do the work.
It’s the perfect easy weeknight dinner. And those crispy fried onions on top are like the icing on the cake.
Add an easy side of roasted broccoli or roasted asparagus, a simple side salad, or a bag of your favorite frozen veggies and dinner is done.
If you love an easy chicken and rice casserole, try this Marry Me Chicken and Rice Casserole, Mississippi Chicken and Rice Casserole, Creamy Mushroom Chicken & Rice Casserole or this Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-dish dinner – The rice and chicken cook together.
- Easy ingredients – No complicated sauce or hard-to-find ingredients.
- Big French onion flavor – French onion soup, French onion dip, provolone and crispy onions all work together.
- Family-friendly – Creamy, cheesy and comforting.
- Minimal prep – This is a great weeknight dinner when you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen.
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- Long-grain white rice– uncooked, this holds up well in rice casseroles
- French onion soup– I’m using the Rao’s brand
- Chicken broth– I like the low sodium variety
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Seasonings- garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt
- French onion dip– I actually make mine with cottage cheese! I promise you would never know! In fact, don’t tell my husband. He had no idea. I blend a cup of cottage cheese with a pack of onion soup mix. So good!
- Provolone cheese– any good melty cheese will work such as mozzarella, gruyere, or Monterey jack
- Crispy fried onions– like the kind used for green bean casserole
How to Make French Onion Chicken & Rice Casserole
1. Prepare the casserole dish
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
2. Add the rice and liquid
Pour the uncooked rice into the baking dish. Add the French onion soup and chicken broth and stir everything together.
Spread the rice into an even layer.
Don’t cook the rice first. It will cook right in the casserole.
3. Add the chicken
Place the chicken breasts directly on top of the rice.
If your chicken breasts are very thick, I recommend slicing them horizontally into thinner cutlets or gently pounding them to an even thickness. This helps the chicken cook at the same rate as the rice.
Season the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.
4. Add the French onion dip
Spread French onion dip over the top of each chicken breast.
It doesn’t have to be perfectly even. As it bakes, the dip melts down over the chicken and adds even more creamy French onion flavor to the casserole.
5. Cover and bake
Cover the casserole very tightly with aluminum foil.
This is an important step! The steam trapped inside the dish helps the rice cook completely.
Bake covered for 45–50 minutes.
6. Check the rice
After 45–50 minutes, carefully remove the foil and check the rice.
The rice should be tender and most of the liquid should be absorbed. If the rice isn’t quite done or still looks dry, add about ¼ cup additional chicken broth, cover the dish again and bake for another 10 minutes.
The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
7. Add the cheese and crispy onions
Once the rice is completely cooked, remove the foil.
Place the provolone cheese slices over the chicken and sprinkle the crispy fried onions over the top.
Return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the onions are golden and crispy.
8. Rest and serve
Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
This gives the rice a chance to finish absorbing the flavorful liquid and makes the casserole easier to scoop.
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Tips for Perfectly Cooked Rice
The trick to this recipe is making sure the rice has enough liquid and enough time to steam.
Use regular long-grain white rice. Don’t substitute instant or minute rice because the cooking time and liquid requirements are different.
Keep the casserole covered. The foil traps the steam that cooks the rice. If you bake it uncovered from the beginning, the liquid can evaporate before the rice has a chance to become tender.
Don’t rinse the rice. The extra starch helps give the finished rice a creamy texture.
Use thinner chicken breasts when possible. Very thick chicken breasts can take longer to cook than the rice. If yours are especially large, slice them horizontally into cutlets.
Check the rice before adding the toppings. If it isn’t tender yet, give it more time covered with a little extra broth rather than adding the cheese and crispy onions too early.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs?
Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this casserole. They tend to stay especially juicy while baking.
Make sure the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part before serving.
Can I Use a Different Cheese?
Yes! Provolone gives this casserole that delicious French onion soup-inspired flavor, but you can substitute:
- Mozzarella
- Swiss
- Gruyère
- Monterey Jack
- White cheddar
For the most French-onion flavor, I would stick with provolone or Swiss.
What to Serve with French Onion Chicken & Rice
Because you’ve already got chicken and rice in the casserole, you really don’t need much on the side.
I like serving it with a simple vegetable or salad:
- Steamed broccoli
- Green beans
- Roasted asparagus
- Simple green salad
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Garlic bread
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of chicken broth before reheating if the rice seems dry.
Can You Freeze French Onion Chicken & Rice Casserole?
Yes! For the best texture, I recommend freezing the casserole before adding the provolone and crispy fried onions.
Let the cooked casserole cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or wrap the casserole tightly.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot. Add fresh provolone and crispy fried onions toward the end of reheating.
Why This Recipe Works
This casserole gets layers of flavor from every ingredient.
The French onion soup gives the rice a savory, onion-packed base. The French onion dip melts over the chicken and adds creamy richness. The provolone gives you that gooey, cheesy topping, and the crispy fried onions add the crunch.
It’s basically all the best parts of French onion soup turned into an easy chicken dinner!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I cook the rice before adding it to the casserole?
No! Use uncooked long-grain white rice. It cooks in the casserole with the French onion soup and chicken broth.
Why does the casserole need to be covered?
The foil traps steam inside the casserole, which helps the rice cook completely. Make sure the foil is sealed tightly around the baking dish.
What if my rice isn’t done after 50 minutes?
Add about ¼ cup chicken broth, cover the casserole again and continue baking for about 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Can I make this with brown rice?
I recommend sticking with long-grain white rice for this recipe. Brown rice requires a different cooking time and amount of liquid, so it would need the recipe to be adjusted.
More Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipes
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Mississippi Chicken Rice Casserole
- Southwest Chicken Casserole
- Marry me Chicken Casserole
- Cream of Mushroom & Rice Casserole
- Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Rice Casserole
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French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice not minute rice
- 15.5 ounce can French onion soup or similar size. I’m using Rao’s brand
- 1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup French onion dip
- 6-8 slices provolone cheese
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add uncooked rice, French onion soup and chicken broth to the dish. Stir to combine and spread evenly.
- Place chicken breasts on top of the rice. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Spread French onion dip over the top of each chicken breast.
- Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes.
- Check the rice. If it isn’t tender, add ¼ cup additional chicken broth, cover and continue baking for about 10 minutes.
- Once the rice is tender and the chicken has reached 165°F, remove the foil.
- Top the chicken with provolone cheese and sprinkle with crispy fried onions.
- Bake uncovered for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the onions are crispy.
- Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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