Yield: 4 servings
French Onion Chicken
French onion chicken is tender and juicy, packed with sweet, caramelized onions and a savory sauce, and topped with melty gruyere cheese. It's a restaurant-quality dinner that's easy to make at home!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sherry, or beef broth
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless, thin sliced chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese, or swiss or provolone
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Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Use tongs to blend the onions with the oil and butter. Cook the onions, uncovered, over low to medium heat until they are caramelized, about 25 minutes. Make sure and stir the onions often as they brown.
- While the onions are cooking, season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Once onions are caramelized, add the balsamic vinegar to the onions, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
- Deglaze the skillet with 2 tablespoons of sherry (or beef broth), use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits from the pan.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and when the oil is hot add the chicken. Cook chicken for about 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through and an instant read meat thermometer reaches 165°F.
- Remove the cooked chicken and set on a plate with a lid over it to help keep them warm.
- Add the remaining beef broth to the skillet and deglaze again. While whisking, stir in the flour and continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken cutlets back into the skillet, spoon a little gravy over each cutlet. Top with onions and cheese.
- There are 2 ways to melt the cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted. OR if you are using an oven-safe skillet, you can place the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
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Notes
Storage: Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: For best results, add the chicken to an oven-safe baking dish along with a splash of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, or until warm throughout.
Freeze: Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, let the chicken thaw in the fridge for 24 hours or before reheating.
Use Thin Pieces of Chicken: You don’t want to use large pieces of chicken for this recipe, or else the ratio of meat to gooey gruyere cheese won’t be right. We recommend using thin chicken breasts instead of regular whole breasts. If you do buy breasts, cut the meat in half through the middle lengthwise to create two thin chicken breasts. You can also use a meat tenderizer to make sure your chicken pieces are thin and tender.
Don’t Rush The Onions: This is a fairly quick recipe to make, but the caramelized onions do take a little bit of time. It’s important to not rush the onions, though. The onions are the star of the dish, and the only way to make them super sweet and caramelized is by slowly cooking them for a while.
Nutrition
Calories: 471kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 48g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 153mg, Sodium: 975mg, Potassium: 825mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 479IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 370mg, Iron: 1mg