Description
This Crockpot Creamy French Onion Chicken and Orzo is a comforting, flavorful one-pot meal combining slow-cooked tender chicken with sweet caramelized onions, savory herbs, and a creamy orzo pasta base topped with melted Gruyere cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or cozy meal, this dish offers rich French onion flavors infused throughout the tender chicken and creamy pasta, making it a satisfying and elegant dish without the fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken and Onions
- 3-4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
For the Orzo and Toppings
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Layer Ingredients in Crockpot: In the bowl of your slow cooker, layer the thinly sliced onions and 3 tablespoons of butter first. Next, place the chicken breasts or thighs on top. Sprinkle the chicken with fresh thyme, chopped sage, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour in the dry white wine and chicken broth, then add the sliced mushrooms. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours until the chicken is tender and onions are caramelized.
- Prepare for Broiling: Preheat your broiler to high. Carefully remove the chicken and most of the onions from the slow cooker and arrange them on a baking sheet for broiling later.
- Cook the Orzo: Increase the slow cooker heat to high. Stir in the dry orzo pasta along with 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the orzo is tender but still slightly al dente. If the orzo absorbs all the liquid before cooking through, add small amounts of additional water as needed. Once cooked, stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese until creamy and combined.
- Broil Cheese Topping: Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over the reserved onions on the baking sheet, then sprinkle evenly with shredded Gruyere cheese. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbly with golden spots.
- Assemble and Serve: Serve the tender chicken breasts topped with the caramelized onion and melted Gruyere cheese mixture over a bed of creamy orzo pasta. Enjoy this rich and comforting dish fresh from the broiler!
Notes
- You can substitute chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat for extra moisture and flavor.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried thyme and sage can be used but reduce quantity by half.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Add more broth or water if the orzo starts to stick while cooking.
- Make sure to watch the broiler closely as Gruyere cheese melts and browns quickly.
- This recipe works well on the stovetop too, following similar cooking flow but simmering the chicken and onions then cooking orzo separately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
