Wednesday night two months ago. Got home at six. Johnny had soccer until seven. Husband working late. Fridge had chicken breasts and a can of French onion soup I forgot about. Threw it all in a dish with whatever else looked okay. Cheese. Sour cream. Those crispy onions from the cabinet. Baked it while Johnny did homework. Forgot about it till the timer screamed. Pulled it out expecting boring chicken. We killed that french onion chicken casserole in one sitting. Johnny ate seconds. Husband came home late and ate leftovers cold at the counter. Asked what I made and when's it happening again.
Why You'll Love This French Onion Chicken Casserole
Made this enough to know why it beats everything. Takes fifteen minutes of real work. Rest is oven time doing nothing. Canned French Onion Chicken Casserole soup so you skip caramelizing onions for an hour. Still tastes like you did. One pan start to finish. Dump it in, bake, done. Two dishes counting forks.
Johnny eats it no whining. Cheese and crispy onions make him forget there's chicken underneath. Works with frozen chicken if you forgot to thaw. Add ten minutes. Leftovers good cold or hot. Husband eats it for breakfast which is gross but fine. Can't wreck it. Forgot sour cream once, still good. Wrong cheese another time, fine. Hard to mess up soup, chicken, and cheese baked together.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This French Onion Chicken Casserole
- Ingredients You'll for French Onion Chicken Casserole
- How To Make French Onion Chicken Casserole Step By Step
- Smart Ingredient Swaps
- Tasty Ways to Make French Onion Chicken Casserole Different
- Equipment For French Onion Chicken Casserole
- Storing Your French Onion Chicken Casserole
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Time to Skip the Takeout
- Related
- Pairing
- French Onion Chicken Casserole
Ingredients You'll for French Onion Chicken Casserole
For the French Onion Chicken Casserole:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper for seasoning chicken
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
- ½ cup shredded cheese for sprinkling
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Green beans or broccoli
- 2 cups cooked rice mixed in bottom
- 8 oz cooked egg noodles mixed in
- Sliced potatoes layered under chicken
- Biscuits on top instead of fried onions
How To Make French Onion Chicken Casserole Step By Step
Prep the Chicken and Pan
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray
- Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels
- Season both sides with salt and pepper
- Place chicken in single layer in baking dish
Make the French Onion Sauce
- Mix French onion soup and sour cream in medium bowl
- Stir in chicken broth until smooth
- Add half the mozzarella and half the cheddar to sauce
- Mix until cheese starts to melt into sauce
- Season with black pepper to taste
Assemble the Casserole
- Pour sauce mixture over chicken breasts in pan
- Make sure chicken is completely covered with sauce
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and cheddar on top
- Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil
Bake Covered First
- Bake covered for 30 minutes
- Chicken should be mostly cooked through but not done yet
- Remove foil carefully, steam will be hot
Add Topping and Finish
- Sprinkle crispy fried onions evenly over the top
- Add extra cheese if you want it cheesier
- Return to oven uncovered for 10-15 more minutes
- Bake until chicken hits 165°F internal temp and onions are golden
- Cheese should be bubbly and slightly browned on edges
Rest and Serve
- Let casserole sit 5 minutes after removing from oven
- Sauce will thicken as it cools slightly
- Sprinkle fresh parsley if you're feeling fancy
- Serve hot over rice, noodles, or just eat it plain
Smart Ingredient Swaps
Chicken Options:
- Chicken thighs instead of breasts (juicier, don't dry out)
- Frozen chicken breasts instead of fresh (add 10 minutes covered time)
- Rotisserie chicken shredded instead of raw (skip first 30 minutes, just bake 15)
- Pork chops instead of chicken (same cooking time)
Soup Alternatives:
- Cream of mushroom soup instead of French onion (different flavor but works)
- Cream of chicken soup instead of French onion (milder)
- Homemade caramelized onions instead of canned soup (way more work but better)
- Onion soup mix packet with cream instead of canned soup
Cheese Changes:
- Swiss cheese instead of mozzarella (more traditional French onion taste)
- Gruyere instead of mozzarella (fancy and expensive but amazing)
- All cheddar instead of mix (stronger flavor)
- Provolone instead of mozzarella (melts good, mild)
Sour Cream Swaps:
- Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (healthier, tangier)
- Cream cheese instead of sour cream (richer, thicker sauce)
- Heavy cream instead of sour cream (less tangy)
- Skip it and use more soup (thinner sauce but okay)
Topping Alternatives:
- Panko breadcrumbs instead of fried onions (crunchier)
- Crushed Ritz crackers instead of fried onions (buttery)
- French bread torn up with butter instead of fried onions (homemade feel)
- Just extra cheese on top (skip onions if you don't have them)
Tasty Ways to Make French Onion Chicken Casserole Different
French Onion Chicken Casserole with Rice:
- Spread 2 cups cooked rice in bottom of pan before adding chicken
- Pour sauce over everything so rice soaks it up
- Rice gets creamy and flavorful from the sauce
- Makes it more filling, feeds more people
French Onion Chicken Casserole with Egg Noodles:
- Cook 8 oz egg noodles and drain
- Mix noodles with half the sauce in pan
- Place chicken on top and pour rest of sauce over
- More like stroganoff texture, Johnny's favorite version
French Onion Chicken Casserole Crockpot:
- Put everything in slow cooker instead of baking dish
- Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours
- Add crispy onions last 10 minutes with lid off
- Hands-off version for busy days
French Onion Chicken Casserole with Biscuits:
- Make casserole as normal but skip fried onions
- Top with refrigerated biscuit dough pieces last 15 minutes
- Biscuits bake right on top and soak up sauce
- Like pot pie but easier
Equipment For French Onion Chicken Casserole
- 9x13 inch baking dish (glass or ceramic)
- Aluminum foil for covering
- Medium mixing bowl for sauce
- Whisk or spoon for mixing
- Meat thermometer to check doneness
Storing Your French Onion Chicken Casserole
Refrigerator Storage (3-4 Days):
- Cool completely before covering
- Cover baking dish with foil or plastic wrap
- Store in fridge up to 4 days
- Crispy onions get soft after day one but still taste good
- Oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes covered works best
- Microwave individual portions 2-3 minutes
- Add splash of chicken broth if it looks dry
- Don't reheat crispy onions, they turn soggy
Freezer Storage (2-3 Months):
- Assemble everything except crispy onions in disposable pan
- Wrap tightly in plastic then foil
- Label with date and baking instructions
- Bake from frozen adding 20 extra minutes covered
- Let cool completely first
- Wrap tightly in foil
- Freeze up to 3 months
- Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating
Top Tip
- My neighbor Karen makes this for her church potlucks. Hers always tastes richer than mine. Finally asked what she does different. She browns the chicken first in a skillet before it goes in the casserole. Takes five extra minutes but adds flavor you can't get from just baking. Tried it. She was right. That sear on the chicken makes the whole thing taste more expensive. Now I brown it when I have time. Skip it when I don't. Both ways work but browned is better.
- Our other trick came from Johnny being picky. He complained the sauce was too oniony one time. Added a packet of ranch seasoning to the sauce mix. Killed the strong onion taste. Made it creamier. Now I throw ranch seasoning in every batch whether he's complaining or not.
- The best accident was using the wrong soup. Grabbed cream of mushroom instead of French Onion Chicken Casserole because I wasn't paying attention. Mixed it with a packet of onion soup mix to fake French onion. Tasted different but better somehow. More depth. Now I do half French onion soup, half mushroom soup, plus onion soup mix. Triple onion mushroom situation that tastes restaurant quality. Johnny says our version beats his friend's mom's version. That's when I knew these accidents were keepers.
FAQ
How long should you cook a chicken casserole in the oven?
Depends on if you're using raw or cooked chicken. Raw chicken breasts need 40-45 minutes total at 375°F. First 30 minutes covered so they steam and stay juicy. Last 10-15 uncovered to brown the top. Chicken thighs need closer to 50 minutes because they're thicker. If you're using already-cooked rotisserie chicken, just 15-20 minutes uncovered to heat through and melt cheese.
Should chicken casserole be covered when baking?
Yes for most of the time then no at the end. Cover with foil for the first 30 minutes so chicken steams in the sauce and doesn't dry out. The foil traps moisture. Then uncover for last 10-15 minutes so the top can brown and crispy onions get actually crispy. If you bake the whole time uncovered, chicken dries out and cheese burns.
Do you bake casseroles covered or uncovered?
Depends what's in it. Casseroles with raw meat need to be covered at least part of the time so meat cooks through without drying out. Casseroles with already-cooked ingredients can go uncovered the whole time just to heat and brown. For this french onion chicken casserole with raw chicken, do covered first then uncovered. The steam from being covered cooks chicken faster and keeps it moist.
How long can chicken casserole stay in the fridge?
Three to four days max in a covered container or wrapped tight. After that the chicken texture gets weird and the dairy in the sauce starts to smell off. I've pushed it to five days when I forgot about leftovers and it was still edible but not great. The crispy onion topping gets soggy after the first day no matter what you do. If you want it longer than four days, freeze it instead. Casserole freezes fine for 2-3 months.
Time to Skip the Takeout
Now you know everything to make french onion chicken casserole that saves weeknight dinners. From Karen's browning trick to our triple onion discovery, this proves boring chicken can taste like something you planned.
Want more dump-and-bake winners? Try our Easy Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder for another hands-off dinner. Need something different? Our Healthy Potsticker Soup Recipe feeds everyone without you dying in the kitchen. Or make our Delicious Chicken Shawarma And Rice Recipe when you want comfort food that's not the usual.
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Pairing
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French Onion Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven, grease baking dish, season chicken, and arrange in single layer.
- Mix French onion soup, sour cream, broth, and cheeses until smooth and creamy.
- Pour sauce over chicken, top with remaining cheese, and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove foil carefully and check chicken.
- Sprinkle crispy onions and extra cheese, bake uncovered 10-15 minutes until golden.
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