French Onion Chicken is a deeply flavorful dish made with pan fried chicken breasts, along with a sauce of beautifully caramelized onions, white wine and fresh herbs, plus a blanketing finish of gruyere and parmesan cheese. It’s an exceptional entree that’s sure to impress!
This rich French onion soup inspired chicken is the dinner you didn’t know you needed in your life! It taste just like a classic French onion soup but with the filling upgrade of hearty chicken breasts.
It’s a dish that’s reminds us that sometimes the humblest of ingredients like yellow onions can create the most captivating flavors when cooked thoughtfully.
To make it onions are slowly, carefully caramelized over a low heat, then the pan is deglazed with white wine and chicken broth to create a sauce. While separately chicken breasts sear to their own golden brown beauty in a hot skillet. Then the two are brought together in one pan, and chicken is covered with plenty of cheese and quickly melted under a blazing hot broiler.
From there you’ll smother each piece of with plenty of the jammy French onion pan sauce and you’ll have what feels like a sophisticated fine dining dish but in the comfort of your own home.
French Onion Chicken Recipe Ingredients
Yellow onions: This is the staple ingredient of a French onion dish. You can use a combination of yellow and red onions if you’d like.
Butter and olive oil: These fats add richness and are used to caramelize the onions and brown the chicken.
Salt and pepper: You’ll season both the chicken and the sauce.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is the best option.
Fresh rosemary and thyme: In a pinch you can use a heaping 1/4 tsp dried thyme and rosemary.
Dry white wine: Sauvignon Blanc is a good variety here.
Low-sodium chicken broth: Homemade stock is the best if you happen to have some on hand (or frozen and thawed).
Cornstarch: Only a little of this is used to thicken the sauce.
Chicken breasts: You can use 4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breasts that have been butterflied and halved.
Flour: This coats the chicken, it encourages browning and also helps the sauce cling to the chicken.
Gruyere and parmesan cheese: These two cheeses together add excellent flavor.
How to Caramelize Onions
Melt butter, initially saute onions: In a heavy bottom 4 quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and 2 pinches of salt and saute 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Slowly cook onions, stir frequently: Reduce heat to medium-low, continue to cook until onions have broken down and caramelized, stirring frequently and scraping up bottom of pan to prevent burning (stir about every 2 to 3 minutes), cooking about 30 more minutes total.
Add other seasonings: Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook 1 minute longer.
Deglaze pan, simmer sauce: Pour in white wine and chicken broth scraping up browned bits from bottom. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes until liquid has reduced and alcoholic scent has cooked off (stir occasionally).
How to Make French Onion Chicken
While the onion mixture is simmering cook the chicken in next step.
Dredge chicken: Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge once piece of chicken at a time in flour, coat both sides and shake off excess. Transfer chicken to skillet.
Cook chicken: Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, and center registers 160 degrees, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Thicken onion mixture, add to chicken: Whisk cornstarch and 1 Tbsp chicken broth then pour into reduced onion mixture, cook 30 seconds to thicken, while whisking. Add salt and pepper to taste as needed.
Pour onion mixture into skillet around the chicken.
Cover chicken with cheese: Transfer oven rack near upper 1/3 of the oven and heat broiler. Cover chicken with Gruyere and parmesan cheese, then broil until melted, about 1 minute (keep a very close eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
Optionally you can garnish with a sprinkling of the fresh herbs to serve.
Helpful Tips
- Patience is key: This is a recipe that does require patience as you let the onions caramelize. Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat and try to brown the onions faster, they will just burn and make the dish taste bitter.
- Stir frequently: If only we could caramelize onions without the need to stir. You will have to stir them about every 2 to 3 minutes, again to prevent them from burning and so they cook evenly (it’s a good time to do something in the kitchen nearby like unloading the endlessly full dishwasher). I recommend using a flat tipped wooden spatula for stirring.
- Chicken temperature: Be careful not to overcook the chicken, chicken breasts dry out easily when cooked to too high of a temp. You want to cook it just to 160°F in center (it will continue to cook through with the sauce 5 degrees more).
- Broiling tip: Be very mindful when broiling to melt the cheese. I recommend staying nearby the oven when broiling so you aren’t getting sidetracked with something. The cheese will melt super fast and it would be so sad to burn the dish right at the end.
Possible Variations
Chicken thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs may be substituted in place of chicken breasts. Use 6 small thighs.
Beef: In place of chicken try this French onion pan sauce over pan seared burger patties or steak.
Cheese: You can substitute the Gruyere with Emmental, Comte or Swiss cheese, and the Parmesan cheese with Romano cheese, Asiago or Grana Padano.
No wine: If you want to make a completely non-alcoholic sauce omit the white wine and replace with more chicken broth.
Gluten free: If you need to make the dish gluten free simply replace the all purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend.
What to Serve with French Onion Chicken
Potatoes: Mashed potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or roasted potatoes are great options.
Bread: A sourdough or other rustic bread is a nice side for dipping in the extra sauce.
Green vegetables: Roasted or steamed broccoli, green beans, asparagus or Brussels sprouts pair well.
Salad: A simple arugula salad or spinach salad are colorful, fresh sides that go well here.
More Skillet Chicken Recipes to Try
French Onion Chicken
A deeply flavorful dish made with pan fried chicken breasts, along with a sauce of beautifully caramelized onions, white wine and fresh herbs, plus a blanketing finish of gruyere and parmesan cheese. It’s an exceptional entree that’s sure to impress!
Servings: 4
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In a heavy bottom 4 quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and 2 pinches of salt and saute 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
-
Reduce heat to medium-low, continue to cook until onions have broken down and caramelized, stirring frequently and scraping up bottom of pan to prevent burning (stir about every 2 to 3 minutes), cooking about 30 more minutes total. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook 1 minute longer.
-
Pour in white wine and chicken broth scraping up browned bits from bottom. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes until liquid has reduced and alcoholic scent has cooked off (stir occasionally).
-
While the onion mixture is simmering cook the chicken in next step.
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Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge once piece of chicken at a time in flour, coat both sides and shake off excess. Transfer chicken to skillet.
-
Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, and center registers 160 degrees, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.
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Whisk cornstarch and 1 Tbsp chicken broth then pour into reduced onion mixture, cook 30 seconds to thicken, while whisking. Add salt and pepper to taste as needed.
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Pour onion mixture into skillet around the chicken.
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Transfer oven rack near upper 1/3 of the oven and heat broiler. Cover chicken with Gruyere and parmesan cheese, then broil until melted, about 1 minute (keep a very close eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
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Spoon some of the onion mixture over chicken when serving.
Nutrition Facts
French Onion Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 498
Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 157mg52%
Sodium 514mg22%
Potassium 897mg26%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 48g96%
Vitamin A 544IU11%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 296mg30%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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