This French Onion Chicken Skillet recipe combines the classic flavors of french onion soup with deliciously juicy chicken breasts. It’s an easy chicken dinner that the entire family will devour!
What’s in This French Onion Chicken Recipe?
To all the French onion soup lovers out there, this one’s for you! Tender chicken breasts sauteed in a caramelized onion sauce and covered in glorious melted cheese make this French onion chicken skillet one of our all-time favorite recipes!
- Flour: Coating the chicken in all-purpose flour seals in moisture and encourages browning. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free 1:1 flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Chicken: We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs will also work.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness to the chicken. Oil will also work, but the flavor will change.
- Onions: While we recommend using yellow onions, white or sweet onions are also good choices. Avoid red onions.
- Thyme: Adds an earthy and herbal flavor.
- Bay Leaf: Adds a balancing earthy and bitter flavor. Don’t forget to discard it after cooking!
- Garlic: Creates a savory base of flavor for the sauce.
- Wine: White wine adds a dash of balancing acidity and freshness to the sauce. We recommend choosing a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, or Pinot Grigio. In place of the white wine, use an equal amount of beef or chicken broth.
- Broth: Low-sodium beef broth adds punchy umami flavor to the sauce. For a lighter flavor, use low-sodium chicken broth instead.
- Cheese: Freshly shredded gruyere is a classic choice for French onion soup.
Variations on Skillet French Onion Chicken
If gruyere cheese is not available, Swiss cheese makes a great substitute!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover French onion chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a cast-iron skillet or baking pan in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, until heated through. You may place it under a broiler for a few minutes to remelt the cheese.
How to Freeze
Freeze French onion chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
Chicken naturally plumps up more when cooked, so be sure to pound it thin! You can also cut your chicken breasts in half horizontally to ensure the chicken cooks more quickly and evenly.
French Onion Chicken Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (½ stick)
- 3 onions sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, for topping
- Toasted French baguette slices optional, for serving
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a bowl and combine. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour until fully coated.¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Add the butter to a large cast-iron or oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Once heated, cook the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Turn down the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Add in the onions, fresh thyme, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown and caramelize. Stir in the garlic. Then, stir in the wine.3 onions, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup white wine
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the skillet. Pour in the beef broth and add the chicken back to the pot. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- Use tongs to top each chicken breast with the onions. Then, sprinkle the chicken breasts with the cheese. Return to the oven for a couple more minutes to melt the cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with slices of toasted French baguette, if desired.1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, Chopped fresh parsley, Toasted French baguette slices
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free 1:1 flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- To help the flour stick to the chicken, do not pat the chicken dry!
- For toastier cheese, place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes!
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
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