Easy Skillet French Onion Chicken
Tender chicken breasts covered 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!
Servings: 4
Calories: 411kcal
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
Nutrition
Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 688mg | Potassium: 1017mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 1mg
