French Onion Chicken is a hardy protein-rich version of French Onion Soup. It’s a great comfort food for weekends when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen (caramelized onions – mmmmm!)
We have so many tasty flavorful chicken recipes that people love to make for busy weeknights such as our Air Fryer Chicken Legs. This chicken dish is one you might want to keep for the weekend since it requires more hands-on time, but it is well worth the effort. Note though, that you can caramelize the onions in the Instant Pot to save time, or you can do the onions the day before while you’re doing the dishes, so that this meal becomes quick enough for a weeknight.
French Onion Chicken is made with chicken breast and caramelized onions topped with melty gooey Gruyere cheese, crunchy croutons, and freshly chopped parsley. It’s the kind of dish that makes you come back for “just one more bite” just like French Onion Soup.
What Kind Of Onions To Use
The most common onions used in many recipes are yellow onions. They have the perfect flavor for casseroles, soups, and stews. You can also use Vidalia onions, which is what I used for this recipe. They are a varietal in the sweet onion family. However, yellow or sweet onions of any variety will give the dish a great flavor.
How To Caramelize Onions
Caramelization cooking of onions takes time, but trust me, it is worth it. It adds an extra layer of flavor.
First, you’ll need to heat oil on the skillet, then add sliced onions. Cook the onion slices for a few minutes, stirring often but not all the time. We want the onion to become a little brown, but not burnt.
To caramelize onions you need to cook them slowly for about 30 minutes. Don’t rush! Onions need time to cook properly to caramelize those sugars. And don’t forget to check out how to caramelize them in the Instant Pot, which really saves time.
Tips For Making French Onion Chicken
After the onions are caramelized, you’ll toss cubed chicken breast in flour mixture and cook them for about 6-8 minutes until golden.
Then add beef broth and caramelized onions back to the skillet and cook until the sauce is reduced. Top it with Gruyere cheese and heat until melted and top with croutons just before serving.
Serving French Onion Chicken
French Onion Chicken can be served with rice or egg noodles or another grain such as cooked buckwheat, farro, or quinoa.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Easy Garlic Butter Chicken
- Stuffed Chicken Thighs
- Smothered Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Chicken and Noodles Recipe
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Chinese Chicken Salad
Podcast Episode On Making French Onion Chicken
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly about how to make this dish, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
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French Onion Chicken Recipe
French Onion Chicken is a hardy protein- rich version of French Onion Soup. It’s a great comfort food for weekends when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen (caramelized onions – mmmmm!)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 2–3 large onions, sliced (about 5 cups)
- 5 Tbsp. cooking oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp. water
- 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 and 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 and 1/4 cups Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup store-bought croutons
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onion and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Add water and ⅛ teaspoon of the salt to the onions. Sauté for an additional 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine flour, garlic powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour. Set aside.
- Remove onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same skillet and heat.
- Add the floured chicken to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until pieces are browned underneath, 3-4 minutes. Flip them over and cook until underside is also browned.
- Add beef broth and cooked onions. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is reduced.
- Stir in the Gruyere cheese. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Top with croutons and serve immediately for best results.
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This post originally appeared in November 2020 and was revised and republished in February 2024.