French Onion Soup Chicken

Four golden chicken breasts topped with caramelized onions, herbs, and melting cheese.

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French Onion Soup Chicken combines caramelized onions, savory broth, and melted Gruyère in a cozy skillet dinner that’s easy enough for weeknights.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Entree, main

Cuisine: American, French

Servings:

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Large cast iron or enamel cast iron skillet with lid 12"

Ingredients

1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions about 1 1/34 pounds, 5 cups sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 large garlic cloves finely chopped or zested
1 teaspoon worcestershire
¾ cup low sodium beef broth
½ cup grated gruyere cheese Comte or Swiss
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley optional garnish
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon optional garnish

Cheesy croutons

1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch garlic powder
¼ cup grated Gruyere cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Pound the chicken

Place chicken breasts top side up on a cutting board, cover in plastic film. Gently pound the thicker end until it is more even. This helps it cook more evenly. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Brown the chicken

Heat olive oil in a large skillet (12-inch) or 3 ½ quart brasier over medium. Sear chicken on the top side only until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely to keep warm.

Caramelize onions

Lower heat to medium-low. Add butter. When melted, add the onions, season with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring often, 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and jammy. Control the heat as the onions are cooking, a little up or down if needed, be careful not to burn them. Don't leave the stove.
Add garlic and worcestershire at the end and cook for another 1 minute.

Build sauce, add chicken

Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring up the browned bit on the pan bottom. Pour in broth. Simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
Nestle chicken back into the onions. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, until the thickest part of chicken registers 160°F. Remove from heat; carryover cooking will bring it to 165°F.

Make the cheesy croutons

While chicken is finishing, mix the melted butter, oil, and garlic powder. Using a pastry, brush the bread slices. Top with cheese and bake or broil until melted and bubbly.

To serve

In the last minutes of the chicken finishing, sprinkle with grated cheese and put the lid back on so it melts.
Serve the chicken straight from the pan with spoonfuls of onions and sauce. Garnish with parsley or tarragon. Serve with the cheesy croutons on the side for dipping and scooping for the full French onion soup experience.

Notes

Nutrition calculation is for the chicken and sauce, not the cheesy croutons. The cheesy croutons are difficult to calculate as the bread varies so much. If you need numbers to track macros, use the numbers on this recipe, allowing for how much bread you had.

Nutrition