Who loves a cozy casserole once the weather starts to turn cool? I know I do. My mom’s chicken divan is a family classic and we all adore this Tex-Mex style King Ranch chicken casserole. Today, we are taking one of my favorite soups from childhood and making it a main dish meal. The whole family is going to adore this! French onion chicken casserole is rich and creamy, with tons of caramelized onions mixed in and a crunchy French fried onion topping. It’s warm and satisfying and a meal perfect for all the onion lovers like me. Gimme all them onions! Also, this dish smells amazing. Those onions caramelizing on the stove are a big part of that and then the bubbly, baked cheesy casserole is hard to resist. My wife said it’s one of her favorites that I make! Oh and stay tuned because I’m working on some other French onion related recipes that I’m hoping to bring you soon. You can sign up for my free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Easy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you! OK, back to today’s recipe. Let’s get cooking! Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make this French onion chicken casserole. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: We’re using regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Do make sure they are on the smaller side though or your cook time will be a lot longer. Onions: I recommend choosing vidalia or another sweet yellow onion to help with the caramelization. It’s going to be a ton of onions when you add them to the pan at first, but they cook down quite a bit. Sour cream: You can use regular or nonfat sour cream and/or substitute plain Greek yogurt. Cheddar: Using a sharp cheddar works best here to add that oomph. Soup: I like sticking with the theme and using a cream of chicken soup, but I think this would also be really good with a cream of mushroom soup. Extra cheese: The optional extra cheese of the top of the casserole can be Swiss, Gruyere or mozzarella. I just like the melty factor it adds as a throwback to the soup - and the beautiful browning. Fried onions: You could technically skip these since we’ve got ALL the onions happening within the casserole. But they add such great crunch on top that I always want to add them!
Just be sure to only add the French fried onions in the last 3-5 minutes of cook time - after the chicken is already cooked through - because they can burn quickly. Feel free to serve the casserole with some chopped fresh parsley or a little garnish of parsley. Adds a bit of brightness! Speaking of serving, let’s round out this meal so we can eat!
Serving Ideas:
Serve this casserole over steamed brown or white rice to go with the delicious onions and sauce. Or you could use cauliflower rice or try it with quinoa. You could even try it with a long, thin noodle like angel hair or spaghetti. Serve this with some crusty bread as a nod to the soup. And because of the richness of the dish, a simple side salad is a great vegetable addition. A steamed veggie would work well too.
It’s pretty flexible. And if you need or want to prep this ahead, you absolutely can. Here’s a few tips on that.
Make Ahead Notes:
It’s a great option if you have friends or family coming over for dinner. Or if you just know you’ve got a busy day and you need to get dinner ready earlier. You could also just prep the onions in advance if you want so the casserole is ready to assemble. Whatever works for you! Last thing, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers.
Storage Tips:
Once cooled, leftover French onion chicken casserole can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave until hot. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers of this dish. The texture and taste just doesn’t hold up to freezing and thawing.
And there we have it! I hope you give this recipe a try for a new cozy meal that’ll have you happily digging into your plate. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Chicken: We’re using regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Do make sure they are on the smaller side though or your cook time will be a lot longer. (I made this with big ones before and it took a full hour in the oven.) Onions: I recommend choosing vidalia or another sweet yellow onion to help with the caramelization. It’s going to be a ton of onions when you add them to the pan at first, but they cook down quite a bit. Sour cream: You can use regular or nonfat sour cream and/or substitute plain Greek yogurt. Cheddar: Using a sharp cheddar works best here to add that oomph. Soup: I like sticking with the theme and using a cream of chicken soup, but I think this would also be really good with a cream of mushroom soup. Extra cheese: The optional extra cheese of the top of the casserole can be Swiss, Gruyere or mozzarella. I just like the melty factor it adds as a throwback to the soup - and the beautiful browning. Fried onions: You could technically skip these since we’ve got ALL the onions happening within the casserole. But they add such great crunch on top that I always want to add them! Serving: This is great served over steamed brown or white rice or you could try a long, thin noodle or some crusty bread. Make ahead notes: Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave until hot.
