This recipe was adapted from eatwell101: Pretty tasty!
INGREDIENTS LIST FOR THE FRENCH ONION CHICKEN CASSEROLE
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Red crushed chili pepper flakes, optional
- Pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or Gruyere)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 cup crushed salad croutons
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. To make the French onion chicken casserole: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×12-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes until soft.
3. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized – about 15 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup of broth/white wine to deglaze if your pan gets too dry, and keep stirring until onions are browned.
4. Stir in fresh minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
5. Season chicken breasts with oregano, crushed chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Go easy on the salt because French onion and cheese are already salted. Arrange chicken breasts in the baking dish.
6. Divide caramelized onions on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven (or more, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts), until fully cooked and cheese is bubbly. Then sprinkle the crushed croutons over the cheese, broil for 2 minutes to crisp up the cheese. Garnish the French onion chicken casserole with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately with steamed vegetables or cauliflower rice. Enjoy!
TIPS FOR THE FRENCH ONION CHICKEN CASSEROLE:
- You can prepare the caramelized onion ahead of time, and just assemble the chicken casserole at the last minute before baking.
- You can flavor up the french onion with a dash of white wine, sherry or balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Cut them horizontally if they are too thick. You can also pound the chicken breasts (gently!) to get them to an even thickness.
- You can also use remade grilled chicken breasts. Just add additional beef broth to the bottom of the casserole dish to keep them juicy.
- Go easy on the salt because French onion and cheese are already salt. The taste of the French onion chicken casserole would be overpowered by saltiness.