French Onion Chicken

Savory and nostalgic, this French Onion Chicken is a one-pan recipe that’s perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner. The comforting flavors of classic French onion soup pair with tender chicken breasts for a delicious meal with easy clean up.

You are going to love this french onion chicken recipe!

Lately, I’ve been leaning into those hearty comfort food recipes. This chicken dish is a brand new favorite in that category!

Served in a homemade sauce, this dish channels all the flavors of your favorite warm and savory French onion soup recipe and combines them with juicy chicken breasts and melted cheese for the ultimate dish the whole family will adore.

• Only one pan: Thanks to one-pan prep, this skillet french onion chicken is easy to clean up and takes very little effort to cook.
• Easy to make: In less than 40 minutes of cooking time, you can easily throw together this satisfying and impressive chicken dinner.
• Great for meal prep: Your leftovers will keep well for easy dinners or lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients you will need

• Chicken breasts: You could also use chicken thighs, but I prefer lean white meat for this recipe. It’s a nice balance with the cheese.
• Aromatics: Add lots of savory flavor thanks to fresh garlic and, of course, onion! Yellow onions and vidalia onions are some of my go-to choices here, but any kind of sweet onion works great.
• Olive oil: You could use another neutral oil to cook the chicken if you like, but I tend to have extra virgin olive oil on hand at all times so it’s super convenient.
• Chicken stock: If you don’t have chicken broth, you could also use vegetable broth and supplement with more seasonings.
• White wine: Helps deglaze the pan and gives the French onion sauce a hint of sophisticated flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce: Punches up the savory, umami goodness of this chicken.
• Seasonings and herbs: I used a mix of fresh thyme, dried oregano, salt and black pepper.
• Shredded cheese: The combination of provolone and gruyere cheese provides a nice gooey and melty consistency with an elegant cheesy flavor.

*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.

How to make french onion chicken

1. Prepare the chicken breasts. Use a meat tenderizer or another heavy object to flatten the chicken breasts all to the same thickness. Season them with salt and pepper.
2. Sauté the onions. Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan, then add the sliced onions and saute until they’re well caramelized.
3. Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat and add seasoned chicken breasts to the hot oil. Sear the chicken on each side, it doesn’t need to be fully cooked just yet because you’ll continue cooking it later on.
4. Make the caramelized onion gravy. Remove the chicken and pour the chicken stock into the pan. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then mix in wine, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Add chicken and onions. To the thickened sauce, add the seared chicken and caramelized onions. Simmer for another couple of minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
6. Garnish and serve. Top with shredded cheese, reduce heat to low, then cover and cook until the cheese melts. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!

Make it a complete meal with a side of Easy Roasted Broccolini or a simple Little Gem Salad.

Recipe tips and variations

• To ensure this chicken dish is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• If you use chicken thighs to make this recipe, they may need longer to cook all the way through.
• If you don’t have a bottle of white wine on hand for the caramelized onion sauce you can use cooking wine instead. This is a pantry staple for me!
• Serve your French onion chicken over top of white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice for a healthier option. You could also pair it with some pasta too.
• For an even richer flavor, use beef broth, and mix in additional herbs and spices like oregano, bay leaf, or some onion powder and garlic powder to emphasize those flavors.
• You can use other kinds of cheese like Swiss cheese, or any kind of particularly melty cheese like mozzarella!
• For a golden brown top, instead of covering the pan to melt the cheese, place the entire dish under your broiler for a minute or two. Just make sure you’re using an oven safe pan, I love my Staub skillet for this.
• If you prefer an even thicker French onion gravy, sprinkle in a bit of all purpose flour.

Storing and reheating

Allow leftover French onion chicken to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze your chicken and the sauce for several months. Press some plastic wrap or cling wrap to the top of the chicken to prevent freezer burn.

To reheat, add a little bit of oil to a skillet over medium heat, then add your chicken back in. You can also microwave individual portions of French onion chicken for a quick option, but this may dry out the chicken slightly.

From frozen, be sure to allow the chicken to thaw for a couple of hours or even overnight before heating it up again.

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