Description
A comforting French Onion Chicken Casserole featuring caramelized onions, tender chicken, and cauliflower baked in a creamy chicken soup sauce topped with melted cheddar or gouda cheese. This hearty meal is perfect for a cozy dinner and pairs wonderfully with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large yellow onions, sliced
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large cauliflower head, cut into bite sized florets
- 30 ounces cream of chicken soup (2 x 15oz cans)
- 1 cup cheddar or gouda cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Caramelize Onions: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn them; add a splash of water if they start to scorch.
- Prepare Cauliflower: While onions cook, cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place evenly in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook Chicken: Add the cut chicken pieces to the skillet with the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is half-cooked and mostly no longer pink, about 8 minutes, to lock in moisture.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the chicken and onion mixture over the cauliflower in the casserole dish, then pour the cream of chicken soup evenly over the top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake Casserole: Bake covered for 35 minutes until the cauliflower is fork-tender.
- Add Cheese: Remove foil and sprinkle the shredded cheddar or gouda cheese over the casserole.
- Finish Baking: Return to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Let the casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before serving warm. It pairs beautifully with crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
Notes
- To replace the cream of chicken soup, use 1 and 1/2 cups broth with 1 and 1/2 tbsp cornstarch and 8 ounces softened cream cheese blended until smooth.
- Cut cauliflower into equal-sized florets for even cooking.
- Stir onions often during caramelization to prevent burning; add water if needed to deglaze.
- Partially cooking chicken before baking prevents it from overcooking in the casserole.
- Allow casserole to cool slightly before serving as it will be very hot coming out of the oven.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
