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Finished French onion chicken inside of a grey Staub cast iron skillet. The skillet ​sits atop a creamy white textured surface and is surrounded by a white and grey striped linen napkin wrapped around the skillet handle, a clear glass filled with white wine, a small white plate of cheesy toasts, and sprigs of fresh thyme.

One-Skillet French Onion Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Skillet, Stovetop
  • Cuisine: French-Inspired, American

Description

This One-Skillet French Onion Chicken recipe offers a hearty twist on the beloved French soup. Meltingly tender chicken breasts nestle in a French onion soup-inspired caramelized onion sauce. The juicy caramelized onion chicken is then topped with cheese & baked to melty perfection.

So rich in flavor yet so easy to make – perfect for date night, winter entertaining, or whenever you crave the iconic cozy flavor of French onion soup!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (see Recipe Notes, below)
  • 3–4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry (see Recipe Notes, below)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (roughly 8–10 sprigs or substitute with a generous pinch of dried thyme)
  • 1 1/2 cups beef stock
  • 3 ounces gruyère cheese, freshly grated
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring one rack is positioned in the center of the oven & a second rack is positioned directly under the broiler. Gather & prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above.One-Skillet French Onion Chicken ingredients arranged on a creamy white textured surface: boneless, skinless chicken breasts, unsalted butter, yellow onions, dry sherry, all-purpose flour, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme leaves, beef stock, and gruyere cheese.
  2. Sear the chicken: Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Once the butter is melted, place the chicken in the skillet, browning for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate (it will not be cooked through at this point – totally fine & expected!) & set aside.How to make French onion chicken, step 2: Sear the chicken. Four seasoned and seared chicken breasts rest inside of a grey Staub cast iron skillet. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  3. Soften the onions: If needed, add another 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the same skillet used to sear the chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low. Once the butter is melted, add the sliced onions, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until softened & browned. (The onions shouldn’t require too much attention at this point!)How to make French onion chicken, step 3: Soften the onions. Sliced yellow onion softens inside of a cast iron skillet in melted better. A wooden spoon rests inside of the skillet and the skillet ​sits atop a creamy white textured surface
  4. Caramelize the onions: Once softened, season the onions with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, stirring to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until until tender, fragrant, & deeply browned, 20-30 minutes more. Helpful hints: Be sure to adjust heat as needed to allow the onions to caramelize slowly & prevent burning. The closer the onions get to reaching caramelization, the more often you will want to stir to promote even browning & prevent burning.How to make French onion chicken, step 4: Caramelize the onions. Caramelized yellow onions sits inside of a grey Staub cast iron skillet. ​A wooden spoon rests inside of the skillet and the skillet ​sits atop a creamy white textured surface
  5. Build the caramelized onion sauce: Once caramelized, deglaze the skillet. Slowly pour in the sherry wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits formed on the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the sherry to a simmer, then simmer 4-5 minutes or until reduced completely. Add the flour, Dijon mustard, & thyme to the skillet, stirring to coat the onions, then add in the beef stock. Bring to a simmer.How to make French onion chicken, step 5: Build the caramelized onion sauce. Caramelized onion sauce for french onion chicken fills a ​grey Staub cast iron skillet. ​A wooden spoon rests inside of the skillet and the skillet ​sits atop a creamy white textured surface
  6. Finish the French onion chicken: Nestle the browned chicken from Step 2 into the caramelized onion sauce. Spoon some of the onion sauce over top the chicken breasts, then sprinkle the grated cheese over top. Transfer the skillet to the center rack of the preheated oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.How to make French onion chicken, step 6: Finish the French onion chicken. Four browned chicken breasts are placed atop a caramelized onion sauce that fills a ​grey Staub cast iron skillet. The chicken breasts are topped a spoonful of the caramelized onion sauce and then topped with shredded gruyere cheese. The skillet ​sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  7. Optional: Finish under the broiler: For a toasty golden brown finish, transfer the skillet to the oven rack under the broiler & turn the broiler on high. Broil 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is as browned as you’d like – be sure to keep a close eye on the chicken as it broils to prevent burning.Finished French onion chicken inside of a grey Staub cast iron skillet. The skillet ​sits atop a creamy white textured surface and is surrounded by a white and grey striped linen napkin wrapped around the skillet handle, a clear glass filled with white wine, a small white plate of cheesy toasts, and sprigs of fresh thyme.
  8. Serve: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Allow to cool slightly, then serve with cheesy toasts (see Recipe Notes, below), mashed potatoes, or a simple green salad. Enjoy!A serving of French onion chicken plated on a white speckled ceramic plate alongside a mixed greens salad. The plate sits atop a grey and white striped linen napkin. The plate and napkin sit atop a creamy white textured surface. Loose fresh thyme, a clear glass of white wine, and a set of silverware surround the plated French onion chicken.

Equipment

Notes

  • Simple add-on ⇢ Cheesy Baguette Toasts: For a simple, French onion-inspired finishing touch, serve your chicken with broiled cheesy toasts. Lightly drizzle 4-8 thick-cut slices of baguette or your favorite bread with olive oil. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 2-3 minutes, until toasty but not burnt. Rub each piece of toasted bread with the cut side of a garlic clove. Place the bread back on the baking sheet & top with 2-4 ounces grated gruyère (or cheese of choice). Broil 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted & lightly browned – be sure to keep a close eye on the toasts as they broil to prevent burning.
  • Ingredient Notes:
    • Chicken breasts vs thighs: You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this French onion chicken skillet. While I typically gravitate towards thighs (they’re so much more flavorful & juicier!), I am partial to chicken breasts for this particular recipe.
    • Sherry is a Spanish fortified wine, meaning it is a wine that is “fortified” with a distilled spirit, most often fortified with brandy. While sherry ranges in style, you will want to use dry sherry (often labeled “Fine” or “fino“) for this recipe. Dry sherry is often used in French onion soup (just take a look at Julia Childs’ & Ina Garten’s iconic recipes!), as its nutty flavor complements the nuttiness of gruyère cheese & its crispness helps cut through the rich flavor of the caramelly onions. You should be able to find dry sherry easily in the fortified wine section at your favorite wine or liquor shop. If you cannot find dry sherry, you can substitute with dry vermouth or dry, unoaked white wine for this recipe. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, substitute with extra beef stock.
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover French onion chicken will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
  • 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this French onion chicken skillet comes from prepping the onions. Take care of this in advance – it takes 10 minutes, tops – & you can jump straight into cooking during the week. Simply peel & thinly slice 2 large yellow onions. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>10 minutes active)

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/french-onion-chicken-skillet/