My French onion chicken recipe combines the savory flavor of French onion soup with juicy, seared chicken breasts for an easy one-pan chicken dinner. Prepared with an abundance of deeply caramelized onions in a beefy wine-kissed pan sauce, the chicken is nestled into the sauce then topped with Gruyere cheese for that classic French onion flavor!
French Onion Chicken, Inspired By a Beloved Soup
From the time I was a youngin’, all the way to present time, I've had an incredible soft spot for French onion soup. With its rich flavor and cheesy lid, I could never resist it any time I spied it on a menu, as it always tasted like such an indulgent treat!
When I created my recipe here for French onion chicken, I used my love of that classic, beloved soup as my guide, and coupled it with a desire to come up with an easy and super flavorful one-pan chicken recipe that could be whipped up in no time at all as a delectably cozy meal.
I thought it would be a fun and tasty task to implement all of those classic flavors, a deeply caramelized onion sauce, kissed with white wine and beef stock, some Gruyere cheese plus a sprinkle of thyme, and come up with a recipe that would both warm and comfort the soul.
Saucy enough to spoon over top of some mashed potatoes or rice, or even to sop up with fresh bread, my French onion chicken is a tried and true recipe perfect to prepare as a casual weeknight meal, or even when you long to nourish those you love for a special occasion.
A French Onion Chicken Recipe for the Skillet
To prepare this savory one-skillet chicken dish, loaded with lots of French onion flavor, you'll simply need a few seasonings, several onions, some beef stock/broth, a hint of white wine, and a finishing topper of grated nutty and aromatic Gruyere cheese to melt over top of the chicken.
Because I find chicken breasts can be a bit large, I like to use two larger skinless, boneless breasts and cut them in half length-wise to create four thinner cutlets. That way, the chicken can be seasoned and seared to golden, flavorful perfection in just a few moments.
I follow up the chicken prep with the preparation of the sauce, which takes just a little longer to allow for the caramelization of the onions to a “jammy” deliciousness.
Here's a at my French onion chicken recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To begin, I season my chicken breast cutlets and allow them to marinate for about 20 minutes, to impart some flavor; then, I sear the breasts in the hot cast iron skillet (or other heavy bottom pan) until deeply golden and cooked through; I set them aside.
- Next, to that same skillet, I add some oil and butter, and once melted together, I add in my sliced onions and allow those to caramelize for 25-35 minutes, until jammy and deeply golden-brown; then, I deglaze with wine and add the beef stock/broth, and allow that to reduce a little until thickened and glossy.
- The sauce is finished with a touch of garlic, some thyme leaves and a bit of extra butter; and once the butter is melted in, the seared chicken is added in and nestled into the sauce, topped with grated Gruyere cheese and broiled just until the cheese is melted.
- I like to serve the French onion chicken with garlic mashed potatoes or rice, or simply on its own with some rustic bread.
Recipe
French Onion Chicken
by Ingrid Beer
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 4
Nutrition Info: 594 calories per serving
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise to create 4 thinner cutlets
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- Olive or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
- 3 white onions, quartered and sliced thinly
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ cup beef stock
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided use
- 1 ¼ cup grated Gruyere cheese
- Add the chicken cutlets to a bowl, and sprinkle in all of the ingredients beginning with the Herbes de Provence up to and including a drizzle of the oil, and toss together to combine. Allow the meat to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or even over night if preparing ahead.
- Once the chicken is marinated, place a cast iron skillet (or other large pan) over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 3 tablespoons of the oil; once it gets hot, add in the chicken cutlets and sear until golden-brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside, keeping warm.
- Into the same cast iron skillet or pan add in another 4 tablespoons of the oil, plus the 2 tablespoons of the butter, and allow that to become hot and melt together. Add in the sliced onions (it will seem like a lot of onions, but they will cook down substantially) and stir, and allow the onions to begin to caramelize a little bit before adding in a pinch or two of salt and black pepper. Continue to caramelize the onions, stirring frequently, for about 25-30 minutes, or until a deep golden-brown, and very soft.
- Deglaze the caramelized onions with the wine, and after about 30 seconds to 1 minute, when the wine has reduced, add in the beef stock, and allow that to reduce for several minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Finish the onions by stirring in the garlic, about 1 teaspoon of the thyme leaves, and the butter; once the butter is melted in, turn off the heat. Return the chicken to the skillet, and nestle it into the onion mixture.
- Turn your broiler on, and top each chicken breast cutlet with some of the Gruyere cheese; place under broiler to melt the cheese, and make it slightly golden and bubbly.
- Finish the chicken with the remaining sprinkle of thyme leaves, and serve.
Tips & Tidbits for my French Onion Chicken:
- Larger chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise: If you happen to be able to find some smaller skinless, boneless chicken breasts, feel free to use those. Otherwise, if you have larger chicken breasts, you can do as I do and cut them in half length-wise to create 4 thinner cutlets for easier searing.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes: Season the chicken with herbs and spices and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight if preparing ahead. This imparts extra flavor to the chicken breasts, which is always a plus.
- Lots of onions to create that French onion soup flavor: I use 3 large onions and caramelize them for about 25-35 minutes until they become almost “jammy” or soft and caramelized. This creates that deep, earthy and savory flavor reminiscent of French onion soup, especially when the beef stock or broth is added in.
- Omit the wine, if you prefer: The recipe calls for a ¼ cup of white wine to help balance out some of the richness, but feel free to leave it out if you prefer. You can add ¼ cup more stock/broth, and proceed with the recipe.
- Gruyere cheese, or your favorite meltable cheese: Gruyere is what is classically used in French onion soup, so I stick with that here. But you could substitute mozzarella, Havarti, provolone, sharp cheddar, or your favorite meltable cheese instead.
Hungry for more saucy and delicious chicken recipes? Check out these Braised Chicken Thighs, this Balsamic Chicken, this Stuffed Chicken Southwest Style, this Chicken Stroganoff, or this Chicken Pot Roast!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015, and has been updated with even more love!
Velva
The genuine love of another human being and a comforting and soulful meal is an incredible combination.
Cheers to you!
Velva
The Cozy Apron
Absolutely true! Cheers to you, Velva!
Mary Ann
Think I might trade the cheese for another variety, and skip the beef stock (perhaps replace it with chicken stock or even a bit more wine, instead), but this looks intriguing. 🙂
Jenni
This looks indulgent. I think I'd probably sub in Havarti, but I'm definitely making this next week. Pinned. =)
Amy
This recipe was fantastic - I love Gruyère in french onion soup and thought this was a genius idea. My only adjustment was to double the wine and stock, but just because I love a bit of gravy/sauce with my mashed potato. Will be making this again!
Donna DAquilla-Bethea
Love that idea. I'll try it!
The Cozy Apron
Amy, I'm so excited you tried this recipe! And I totally understand wanting extra sauce—we love it too with mashed potatoes, so doubling the wine and stock was a great way to go. Thanks so much for your comments!
Carrington
Looks so yummy, making it tomorrow for Sunday Family Dinner. Wondering what your recipe for the mashed potatoes is? Your plating is beautiful!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Carrington, so excited that you plan on preparing this for your Sunday Supper! And thank you for the compliment on the plating. 😉 I have several recipes on the site for mashed potatoes (you can search using the search bar), but here is a basic recipe that I typically use when I'm cooking a meal for my family: https://thecozyapron.com/the-taste-of-memories/ (Funny enough, this was actually our very first post in the blog, lol!) Just scroll down through the recipe—the fluffy, red-skin mashed potatoes are the last part of the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Melissa
Perfection. No leftovers. 😉
The Cozy Apron
Melissa, now that's what I love to hear! Wonderful! Thanks for your comments.
Melissa
I've made this 3 times since my original post. SO GOOD. Thank you for the love that has graced my kitchen and my home.
The Cozy Apron
Melissa, you precious, precious lady! I appreciate your comments so much. The pleasure is all mine. 🙂
Melissa
Almost 5 years later, and this is still one of our all-time favorite meals. It's what's for supper tonight. I just love how rich and herby and flavorful this dish is! I still need to make your French Onion Soup, but Julia Child's has been my go-to recipe for years--it's time to branch out, I think, especially as we move into the holiday/winter season. Love, Melissa
The Cozy Apron
Ah, sweet, Melissa...what a gem you are. 😉
Once again, my heart is so happy to read that you're enjoying another recipe (even after 5 years!!), continually "branching out".
May your footsteps be blessed, and please know that I can totally relate to the concept of "branching out", especially this year. I think many of us are rethinking many aspects of our lives at this particular time, throwing out what doesn't work, and inviting in new ways of being, thinking, and doing.
Much love, and may you all enjoy the chicken...and try my version of French Onion Soup as well! xoxo
Grace | Eat Write Explore
Made this last night for my family (a tough crowd to please) and they absolutely loved it! Will definitely be making this again, it was deeee-licious. Thanks so much for sharing!
The Cozy Apron
Grace, my pleasure! Thrilled you all enjoyed!
Laura H
Amazing!
Each weekend I try a new recipe and boy am I glad I chose this one. It was delicious. No leftovers. This one is sure to be a keeper. Thank you for sharing
The Cozy Apron
Hi Laura, I love "no leftovers "! That's great! Glad you enjoyed, and thanks for taking a moment to share your experience with the recipe.
Lauren
Can I make this with chicken thighs?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Lauren, great question!
You absolutely can, and it would be delicious! And if they're skinless and boneless thighs, you can cook in a similar way, just a little longer because thighs take more time.
Now, if the thighs are with skin on and the bone in, you'd do things a bit differently, and one of two ways: you could roast the thighs separately at 400° for about 40 minutes (and cook the onions/sauce in the skillet as per the recipe), and then simply nestle those into the sauce once cooked, top with cheese, broil, as per directed...
Or, you could brown the thighs in the pan first, remove them to create the onion/sauce, then return them to the pan to braise them directly in the onions (could be done either stove top or in a 350° oven for 40-45 minutes). Keep in mind that for that you'd need more liquid.
In this case I would up the beef stock from 1/2 cup to about 2 cups so that things don't dry out. (If doing stove top, cover with a lid; if doing in the oven, keep uncovered.).
Please know that these are estimates as I have not written the recipe for thighs (or for these methods), so I am giving you a rough idea.
Hope you enjoy whichever way you end up preparing the recipe!
Susan
Sounds amazing and always looking for new ways with chicken. I'm going to substitute mashed cauliflower for the potatoes for fewer carbs.
The Cozy Apron
That's wonderful Susan! Hope you enjoy!
Sandy Jones
Haven’t tried this yet but was wondering if you have ever frozen leftovers and then how did you reheat them? I work long hours during the week and look for recipes I can make on the weekends and freeze.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Sandy! I haven't, but I believe this recipe is a good candidate for the freezer.
I'd prepare it (without the cheese), allow it to completely cool, then freeze (perhaps in heavy-duty freezer bags?). So basically, you'd have the chicken in the onions/sauce at the point you freeze it.
When you know you'd like to enjoy, allow things to thaw in the fridge for a couple of days, until softened, then pour into a pan, and gently/slowly reheat until hot. Then from that point you can proceed with the rest of the recipe and add the cheese, place under broiler, etc.
Hope you enjoy this!
Darren Sibley
I'm a guy who typically didn't belong in a kitchen. After being diagnosed with leukemia I found that my tastebuds changed and gained an interest in cooking (mainly to feel productive). If I'm not mistaken this was the 1st thing I came across and made. My wife not only loved the effort but also the outcome. I am making it for her again as we speak. Thank you for not only a great recipe but also helping to restore a lil hope when it was needed.
The Cozy Apron
Dear Darren, I cannot tell you how much your comment touched me. Thank you for sharing!
First, let me tell you I'm sending you my hopes for strength, health, and general well-being; and second, I am humbled by how you chose to take things head on by getting into the kitchen and spinning some gold there!
I am so very inspired and impressed by you!! I'm thrilled that you and your wife have enjoyed this recipe.
It was your choice to turn a challenging time of life into a fruitful situation, and to use yourself and your love (even your "hidden" talent for cooking, haha) to create some light, comfort and nourishment in your home. It's truly something.
So please know you have deeply touched me and made my heart full to receive what you have shared. Here's to your continued success in the kitchen, and to having a blast!
And I hope you find many more recipe here on the site to have some nourishing fun with. 😉
Conor
I’ve made this dish (and I only use your recipe) so many times. I’ve had a lot of friends in the past who are less fortunate than I, so I would take it upon myself to create dishes that would lift their spirits and this recipe has been by far the most well received! I’m making it for my parents anniversary tomorrow and I just know they are going to love it! I usually accompany it with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Thanks for posting this. It is the fav of many people!!!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Conor,
Thanks so much for sharing what you did here with me. I can't tell you how touched I am that you've prepared this recipe so many times for friends, and now, for your family. Wow...
I think what touches me the most is that you enjoy creating dishes that lift other's spirits and nourish them on both a physical level as well as soul level, and that's real "magic." Beautiful! Thank you for being such a special person. 🙂
I hope your folks enjoy this chicken for their special anniversary dinner that you will be preparing for them, with those delicious mashed potatoes as some added comfort.
I truly hope this recipe continues to nourish your loved ones, and I send you lots of positive cooking "juju" for all of your love-filled cooking endeavors. (I hope you find more recipes on the site to enjoy as well!)
Thanks again for sharing with me, Conor. It has deeply warmed my heart.
Happy cooking to you!
Linda
This was outstanding! The flavors come together beautifully. I did not make any changes. Why mess with perfection? The beef stock gave it a nice, deep taste like french onion soup. Thank you for sharing your recipe and your talent. Thank your husband, too, for his photography!
The Cozy Apron
Glad you found this one, Linda!
Thrilled you enjoyed, and I truly appreciate your kind and uplifting words. Thank you for the lovely compliments! 🙂