Description
French Onion Chicken is a delectable fusion of classic French onion soup and tender chicken cutlets. This savory dish combines caramelized onions, melted Gruyere cheese, and juicy chicken in a rich, flavorful sauce. Perfect for a cozy dinner or elegant entertaining, this recipe brings restaurant-quality cuisine to your home kitchen.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 pounds/ 790g)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 700g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (360mL)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 4 ounces gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated (113g)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken
Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise to create 4 evenly sized cutlets. If needed, pound them to an even ¾ inch thickness. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Reserve 2 tablespoons of remaining flour. - Cook the chicken
Heat a 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and cook chicken for 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. - Caramelize the onions
Melt butter in the same skillet. Add onions and remaining salt. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-high, then reduce heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. - Create the sauce
Add garlic and sprinkle reserved flour over onions. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up brown bits. - Assemble and bake
Preheat oven to 400°F. Nestle chicken cutlets into the onion mixture. Top each piece with onion mixture and grated cheese. Bake for 6-8 minutes until cheese melts. - Serve
Sprinkle with fresh thyme and black pepper. Serve with baguette slices, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Notes
- For a stovetop-only method, after adding cheese, cover the skillet and cook on medium-low for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts.
- If you don’t have a meat mallet, use a rolling pin. Place chicken between plastic wrap or parchment paper when pounding.
- To strip thyme leaves, hold the stem top and pinch just below, pulling down to remove leaves.
- For added flavor, replace up to 1/2 cup of broth with dry white wine.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken cutlet with sauce
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
