Description
This French Onion Chicken Casserole is a comforting and creamy dish featuring caramelized onions, tender chicken, and cauliflower, all baked together with a rich cream of chicken soup and melted cheddar or gouda cheese. Perfect for a hearty family dinner, it combines classic French onion flavors with a nutritious twist.
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 the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to ensure it is hot and ready for baking the casserole.
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until they are golden and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.
- Prepare the Cauliflower: While the onions cook, cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place them evenly in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Once the onions have caramelized, add the chicken pieces to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is about halfway cooked and no longer pink on most sides, about 8 minutes.
- Combine Ingredients in Casserole Dish: Pour the chicken and onion mixture over the cauliflower in the casserole dish. Then add the cream of chicken soup evenly over the top and gently mix if desired.
- Bake Covered: Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Add Cheese and Finish Baking: Remove the foil, sprinkle the shredded cheddar or gouda cheese evenly on top, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm, ideally with crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
Notes
- To replace cream of chicken soup, blend 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch and 8 ounces softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Cut cauliflower florets uniformly to ensure even cooking.
- Stir onions often as they caramelize to prevent burning; add a splash of water if they start to scorch.
- Partially cooking chicken before baking locks in moisture and prevents overcooking.
- Allow casserole to cool 5-10 minutes before serving as it will be very hot straight from the oven.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
