Looking for a delicious, protein-rich one-pan meal that’s packed with flavor? This Easy Skillet French Onion Chicken combines tender chicken breasts with a savory caramelized onion sauce, melty cheese, and classic French onion soup flavors. It’s the perfect comfort food to satisfy the entire family!

If you’re a fan of French onion soup, you’re going to love this French Onion Chicken recipe. It takes all the rich, savory flavors of the classic soup and transforms them into an easy dinner recipe that’s hearty, satisfying, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Topped with gooey cheese and served with crusty bread a vegetable or salad, it’s a complete meal that’ll quickly become a family favorite.
Looking for more family-friendly skillet dishes. Try my popular marry me chicken, shrimp stir fry with noodles, or creamy paprika chicken.
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Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Quick and easy: Ready in under an hour with just one pan!
- Rich and flavorful: Packed with caramelized onions, savory broth, and melty cheese
- Versatile: Perfect for weeknights or entertaining guests
- Family-friendly: A meal the whole family will love
- Meal prep friendly: Leftovers store well in an airtight container
Doctor's Tips
- French onion soup can be high in sodium and saturated fat so to lighten it up a little, I make the following changes:
- I use low-sodium beef broth to reduce overall sodium content without sacrificing flavor. As the broth reduces, the flavor intensifies.
- I use a combination of olive oil and butter to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the dish.
- I don't go crazy with the cheese but use just enough cheese to get that ooey gooey factor we all crave.
Ingredients

Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast and slice them in half horizontally to make thinner chicken cutlets. You can also buy chicken breast cutlets from the grocery store. You can subsitute chicken thighs but will have to cook them a little longer.
- Onions: I use yellow onions. You can also use sweet onions like Vidalia onions or white onions.
- Cheese: Gruyere is the classic choice for French onion soup. If you don't have it, you can substitute swiss cheese, fontina or mozzarella (although it will have a milder flavor).
- Beef broth: I use low-sodium beef stock or broth for authentic French onion soup flavor to control the amount of sodium in the dish. You can substitute low-sodium chicken broth or a mixture of the two
- White wine: White wine or brandy enhances the flavor of the dish. You can substitute with chicken stock or omit it altogether.
- Flour: Helps thicken the onion gravy. Arrowroot starch or cornstarch can work for a gluten-free option.
How To Make French Onion Chicken Step-by-Step

See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Step 1- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove and set aside.
- Step 2- Lower heat to medium-low and melt the butter. Add sliced onions, stirring to coat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove the lid and cook a few more minutes until deeply caramelized.
- Step 3- Add minced garlic and thyme, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle in flour, stirring to coat the onions. Cook for another minute.
- Step 4- Pour in white wine, letting it reduce slightly. Stir in beef broth and simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.

- Step 5- Add the chicken back to the skillet, spooning the onion mixture over the top.
- Step 6- Sprinkle the cheese over each piece of chicken. Turn on the broiler. Place the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, cover with a lid instead. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley.
Chef’s Tips
- I use boneless, skinless chicken breast and slice them in half horizontally to make thinner chicken cutlets. You can also buy chicken breast cutlets from the grocery store.
- Instead of cooking the chicken breasts whole, you can cut them up into bite-sized pieces before cooking.
- Take your time caramelizing the onions as this is what gives the sauce tons of flavor. Use a heavy-bottomed skillet like a cast iron skillet to prevent the onions from burning as they caramelize. For more tips, read my post on how to caramelize onions.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can cover the skillet with a lid to melt the cheese. Alternatively, you can transfer everything to a casserole dish and place under the broiler.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How to Serve This Dish
This French onion chicken pairs beautifully with:
- Vegetables: Roasted vegetables, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or a simple salad.
- Starches: Serve with crusty bread, egg noodles, pasta, or brown rice to soak up the savory onion gravy.
- Side Dishes: Add a side of mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, diced potatoes, butternut squash or baked sweet potatoes for a comforting meal.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well but you will just have to cook them a little longer.
No. Swiss cheese, fontina or mozzarella are great substitutes if you don’t have Gruyere.
Yes! Prepare the caramelized onion sauce in advance and store it in an airtight container. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce, add the chicken, and finish as directed.
Yes, sear the chicken and caramelize the onions first, then transfer to a slow cooker. Add the sauce ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
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Recipe
Easy Skillet French Onion Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally or 4 chicken breast cutlets (about 1.5 lbs)
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound yellow onions 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine or brandy
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth (can substitute chicken broth)
- 3 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet. Cook 4-5 minutes on each side until chicken is golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the skillet. When the butter is melted, add the sliced onions. Stir to coat all the onions with the butter. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook the onions for about 15 minutes until golden brown, stirring them once or twice. Remove the lid and cook another few minutes until deeply caramelized.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then add the flour and stir to coat all the onions. Cook another minute.
- Then add the wine and cook until reduced. Pour in the beef broth and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes until thickened slightly.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and spoon some of the sauce over them. Top each breast with shredded cheese.
- Turn the broiler on. Place skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can cover the skillet with a lid to melt the cheese.
- Garnish with thyme or parsley and serve.
Notes
- I use boneless, skinless chicken breast and slice them in half horizontally to make thinner chicken cutlets. You can also buy chicken breast cutlets from the grocery store.
- Instead of cooking the chicken breasts whole, you can cut them up into bite-sized pieces before cooking.
- Take your time caramelizing the onions as this is what gives the sauce tons of flavor. Use a heavy-bottomed skillet like a cast iron skillet to prevent the onions from burning as they caramelize. For more tips, read my post on how to caramelize onions.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can cover the skillet with a lid to melt the cheese. Alternatively, you can transfer everything to a casserole dish and place under the broiler.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days
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