French Onion Chicken Skillet

French Onion Chicken Skillet is a delicious one-pan dinner that encompasses all the flavors of French Onion Soup in a hearty meal. Juicy, tender chicken simmers in a rich caramelized onion gravy and is topped with crusty bread just oozing with melted gruyere cheese. Perfect for an everyday meal or for entertaining.

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Sauteed Chicken and Onions

I've always loved French Onion Soup. Maybe it's the rich flavorful broth and the flavorful caramelized onions or, just maybe, it's that crisp toasty bread on top just oozing with melty cheese. In any case, I wanted all those great flavors in a main dish that would remind me of my favorite soup.

An Easy One Skillet Dinner

This French Onion Chicken did the deed and it's amazingly made in just one skillet! It might take a little longer than my normal quick and easy recipes but caramelizing those onions is worth the little extra time. However, you can make the onions ahead of time and cut the time for making this dinner in half.

If you love French Onion Soup, you've got to try this yummy French Onion Chicken knock-off for a rich, filling dinner that I guarantee your family will beg you to make again and again.

Why This is the Best French Onion Chicken Recipe

Crisp toasted bread on top just like the soup.

Tons of stretchy cheese that just makes your mouth water.

Tender chicken breasts smothered in the most delicious caramelized onion gravy!

Rich beefy broth that, if you close your eyes, tastes like French Onion soup.

Easy cleanup with dinner in one pan.

Comfort food the whole family will love!

Ingredients for French Onion Soup Chicken

For the caramelized onions:

• Large sweet onions
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Dry Sherry
• Salt & pepper

For the chicken and sauce:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Dried oregano
• All-purpose flour
• Olive oil
• Beef broth
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh parsley
• Bay leaf
• Salt & pepper

Toasted cheese bread:

• French bread
• Olive oil
• Gruyere cheese
• Fresh thyme sprigs and fresh parsley for garnishing

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Beef Broth - Use low-sodium beef broth if you need to watch your sodium intake.

Cheese - Use mozzarella, provolone, or Swiss.

Chicken - Use chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Just note thighs will take longer to cook.

Sherry - Use dry white wine or beef broth. Do not use cooking sherry.

Equipment Needed

• Large Stainless Steel Skillet
• Baking Sheet
• Cutting Board

Why Cook with Stainless Steel Pans

• They will not leach any chemicals into food as it cooks as will aluminum pans.
• Stainless steel pans, endowed with aluminum cores and fully clad, as are all the Kitchara cookware, are known for their even heat distribution.
• The flat bottoms on these stainless steel pans are great for use on glass and induction cooktop surfaces.
• Stainless Steel pans are naturally nonstick. (Bet you didn't know that!)
• They will not react with acidic foods, such as tomatoes, that might affect the appearance or flavor of food.
• Pans will easily go from stovetop to oven to tabletop.
• Stainless Steel pans are easy to maintain and are virtually indestructible. A great reason to get quality pans that will last a lifetime.

This recipe made good use of a stainless steel 12-inch skillet, which caramelized the onions, browned the chicken, and went into the oven for a final broil to melt the cheese. And nothing stuck to the pan! Plus it cleaned up to look as beautiful as it started!

Tips on How to Cook with Stainless Steel Cookware

• Always preheat the pan over medium heat, and make sure it is hot enough prior to adding oil. You can test with a drop of water. If it beads up and hops around the pan, it is hot enough.
• Allow the oil to heat then add room-temperature meat.
• Do not move food around in the pan while cooking. The meat will release juices and, when it is ready to turn, will release easily and make turning it a breeze.
• Never use cooking sprays! They can leave a sticky coating. Stick with oils and butter.
• Stainless steel pans use less oil, so start with a little and add more only if necessary.  
• Use wood or silicone cooking utensils to avoid scratching pans.
• When using the stockpot, boil the water then add salt to avoid pitting.
• Some pans may develop a rainbow hue, especially after overheating a pan. To restore a nice shine to the pan, a vinegar and water solution or stainless steel cleaner like BarKeeper can be used. They will also stay shinier when hand washed as opposed to washing in the dishwasher.

How to Make French Onion Chicken

How to Caramelize Onions

Begin by caramelizing the onions. This can be done the day before if you want to speed up the dinner process. By the way, these are also the same steps for making French Onion Soup.

1. Slice the onions and halve. Season with salt and pepper. (photo 1)
2. Heat in skillet, turning occasionally, for about 25 minutes. (photo 2)
3. They should be nicely browned and caramelized. (photo 3)
4. Add minced garlic to the pan. (photo 4)
5. Add butter to the pan and cook both for an additional minute. (photo 5)
6. Pour in sherry to deglaze the pan. In other words, get all those nice yummy browned bits up from the bottom of the pan. Remove from pan and set aside. (photo 6)

Cooking the Chicken

7. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and oregano.  (photo 7)
8. Dredge in flour. (photo 8)
9. Place the floured chicken in the pan that has been wiped clean, reheated, and another 2 tablespoons of oil has been added. Cook for 8 minutes a side. (photo 9)
10. They should look nicely browned and be completely cooked through. (photo 10)

Toasting the Bread

1. Cut French bread into slices and coat one side with olive oil. (photo 1)
2. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and place in preheated 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. (photo 2)

Putting it all Together

1. Pour onions back into skillet covering chicken. (photo 1)
2. Add beef broth. (photo 2)
3. Toss in herbs - thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. (photo 3)
4. Top chicken with toasted bread. (I actually sliced the chicken breasts in half horizontally so that the bread would lay evenly on top.) (photo 4)
5. Sprinkle the entire casserole with shredded Gruyere cheese. (photo 5)
6. Place under broiler for 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned. (photo 6)

Recipe Tips

• Don't rush cooking the onions. Heat that's too high will burn and fry them instead of caramelizing them.
• Slice chicken breasts horizontally or pound them thin so the chicken cooks evenly and in less time.

What to Serve with French Onion Chicken

This French Onion Smothered Chicken dinner is rich and filling and is best served with something light as a side. Here are some ideas:

• Green Veggies - Asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, or green peas
• Rice or Quinoa
• Simple green salad with a light vinaigrette or Caesar salad

And that bread! I love to eat it on its own as it comes out all crispy and cheesy with lots of flavor that it soaked up from the onions and beef broth. Oh, I'm just drooling thinking about it!

How to Store, Freeze, Reheat, and Use Leftovers

Storing: Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature. Place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing: Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.

Reheating: You can reheat it in the microwave in 30-second increments. Or place it in an oven-safe dish, cover it with foil, and place it in a preheated 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. Reheated chicken is safe when the internal temperature is 165°F.

Using: Make this sauteed chicken and onions into an entirely different meal. No one will believe is leftovers!

• Cut up some of the chicken and serve it over pasta that's been drenched with rich onion gravy. And yep, I would definitely make some more of that cheesy bread to go with it.
• Make a French Onion Chicken Sandwich.

More Delicious Chicken Dinners

• Chicken Chablis with mushrooms and white wine sauce.
• Creamy Chicken Lasagna with spinach and squash.
• Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore is a quick way to make this Italian classic.
• Chicken with Onions is a delicious Cuban dish called Pechuga a la Plancha.

Find lots of tasty one-pot dinner recipes here on 2CM!

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This post has been updated and was first published on July 18, 2019.