French Onion Chicken

This isn’t your average chicken dinner! Loaded with everything you love about French onion soup, but in an easy and quick recipe. Clocking in at under an hour for prep and cook time, this French Onion Chicken recipe is sure to be a family favorite!

Serve with a side salad, some brown rice, and some dinner rolls to complete the meal!

Homemade French Onion Chicken

I LOVE French Onion Soup. But I often find that it’s not filling enough to standalone as a meal. That’s what inspired this French Onion Chicken recipe. I added more protein, reduced the soup to a gravy, and concocted a way to quickly (but thoroughly) caramelize those onions so you can make this dish any day of the week!

I like to serve this as the main course with a side of brown rice or creamy mashed potatoes, a side salad, some roasted veggies like broccoli or cauliflower, and my favorite dinner rolls. Plus, this is one of those dishes that gets better the longer it sits, so you can make enough to have leftovers throughout the week! Perfect for meal-prepping.

French Onion Chicken Ingredients:

Many home chefs are intimidated by French cooking, but this recipe truly could not be simpler. It’s a great way to dabble in cooking that looks and tastes fancy, but doesn’t require a ton of expertise. And cleanup is a breeze because everything is cooked in one skillet! This not only simplifies the recipe, but builds the flavor so that the end result is a rich, decadent dish. You only need 12 ingredients — many of which you probably have on-hand — to make this French Onion Chicken at home:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 large white onions, sliced very thin
• 2 tbsp ground marsala
• 1 pound chicken breasts, pounded thin or cut in half if there are only two
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• Freshly chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

Tips for Success

• Opt for free-range, grass-fed beef bone broth if possible. This will make your French onion gravy base super flavorful. Also, use low-sodium so you can better control how much salt is in this dish.
• Use freshly sliced cheese from the deli, if you can, over shredded cheese or packaged slices. The fresher the better; plus, it’ll melt more smoothly the fresher it is.
• If you prefer dark meat over light, you can swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just get them nice and browned, and then adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure they’re cooked through.
• Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper if you like heat.
• Craving more bread? Slice the chicken thinly after broiling the cheese and place between two thick slices of French bread with the French onion sauce spread generously on both open sides of the bread. Mega French dip vibes here!

How To Make French Onion Chicken

• Caramelize the Onion Slices: Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion slices, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Be careful not to burn them, and lower heat to medium-low, if needed. Add in the ground marsala, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits, aka fond. This is the secret to the flavor in this dish. Remove the onions from the pan, and set aside on a plate.

• Season the Chicken and Cook: Season chicken thoroughly on both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Then, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan the onions were cooked in. Heat oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to sizzle, add the whole chicken breasts. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan, and set aside on a separate plate.

• Make the French Onion Sauce: Return the onions to the pan you browned the chicken in, and whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, to make your roux. Slowly whisk in the beef broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.

• Melt the Cheese: Set your broiler to high. Add the chicken back to the pan, and top each chicken breast with a slice of Swiss and a slice of provolone cheese. Place in the oven, and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly (not browned).

• Garnish with chopped parsley, serve hot, and enjoy! 

What To Serve with French Onion Chicken

• Brown rice
• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Side salad
• Roasted broccoli
• Roasted cauliflower
• Dinner rolls
• Crispy baked French Fries (Poutine, anyone?)

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

• Store leftover French Onion Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
• Freeze cooled leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag for up to a month. Freeze flat to optimize space in your freezer.
• Reheat refrigerated leftovers on a plate or bowl in the microwave at 30-second intervals until warmed through, or place in a baking dish at warm in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. Allow frozen chicken and rice to thaw in the fridge overnight or on your counter for a couple hours, then proceed with reheating instructions. Garnish as desired before serving, and enjoy!

More Recipes To Try

If you enjoyed this French Onion Chicken, then you’ll love these other quick and easy dinner recipes:

• Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
• Creamy Shrimp and Grits
• Blackened Salmon
• Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Marsala