French Onion Chicken Orzo with Gruyere and Mozzarella
By Emma Collins
Prep
15 min
Cook
45 min
Total
60 min
Servings
4
Level
Medium
French onion chicken orzo makes four dinners and can be portioned for a lunch meal for another serving. French onion chicken orzo is made in one pan, with some reserved for lunch and other parts with jammy onions served over orzo and cheese, also browned from broiling.
I slice onions in half lengthwise and cook them in a pan over medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes until onions are browned and can be heaped over the meat. Browned onions start the gravy. The smell of browned onions provides additional flavor to the meal.
After cooking the chicken, I sauté orzo in the skillet until tan, pour in broth and cream, scrape up browned bits, return chicken to the skillet with the pasta, and continue cooking in the skillet to thicken the sauce. Beef broth can be used to darken the color of the sauce in the skillet. I take the chicken out of the skillet slightly undercooked, as it will finish cooking while broiling in the cast-iron skillet.
I grate Gruyere cheese into chunks and broil the Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses until they are brown and melted. Serve this meal immediately from the pan with air-fried green beans. I prefer to eat the onions in the center of the meal and season the Gruyere cheese at the table with fresh thyme and black pepper to taste.
Why this recipe works
- Four servings can supplement lunch for smaller groups.
- All ingredients are cooked in one heavy pan, including the onions and broiling at the end.
- The chicken and orzo can cook at the same time. You don't need a second pot for the orzo.
- The onion mound will be the topping for each container once the cheese has cooled.
- The skillet is used for the main course and other dishes that might otherwise be served in separate pans, including pasta and chicken.
- Leftover dishes include chicken and onion-pasta dishes.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into pieces (680g))
- •3 large yellow onions (thinly sliced (900g))
- •1 ½ cups dry orzo pasta ((300g))
- •3 ½ cups beef broth (low sodium preferred (840ml))
- •1 cup Gruyere cheese (freshly shredded (115g))
- •1 cup mozzarella cheese (freshly shredded (115g))
- •¼ cup heavy cream ((60ml))
- •2 tbsp unsalted butter ((30g))
- •1 tbsp olive oil ((15ml))
- •1 tbsp fresh thyme (leaves only)
- •salt (to taste)
- •cracked black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat and melt the butter.
- 2
Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt.
- 3
Cook the onions for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dark mahogany and jammy.
- 4
Add a splash of water if the onions start to stick too much.
- 5
Remove the onions from the skillet and set them aside.
- 6
Briefly wipe the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and add the olive oil.
- 7
Season the chicken with salt and cracked black pepper.
- 8
Sear the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown.
- 9
Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- 10
Add the dry orzo to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes, until tan-colored or slightly toasted.
- 11
Slowly pour in the beef broth and heavy cream.
- 12
Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- 13
Bring the liquid to a simmer.
- 14
Nestle the chicken back into the skillet.
- 15
Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the orzo is tender and the sauce is thick.
- 16
Remove the skillet from the heat when the pasta is just shy of perfect.
- 17
Top the skillet with the Gruyere and mozzarella, leaving some orzo visible around the edges.
- 18
Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, until the cheese has melted with toasted brown spots.
- 19
Pile the reserved onions in the center, then finish with thyme and cracked black pepper.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
580
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