French Onion Chicken Breasts

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This recipe marries the rich, savory flavor of classic french onion soup with succulent chicken breast for a bite you won't forget!

picture of chicken breast with melted cheese and browned french onions

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Mouthwatering French Onion Chicken Breasts
French Onion Chicken

Mouthwatering French Onion Chicken Breasts

I am always looking for new ways to make chicken breast. This recipe was originally more of a chicken infused french onion soup but I found I wanted more chicken and less soup. As I played with the recipe, over time it transformed into a french onion and gruyere coated chicken breast that is to die for.

Most people think of “french onion” as those crispy fried onions on top of green bean casserole. While those crunchy little morsels would taste great on top of this chicken you want to focus on getting more of a carmelized onion “french onion” flavor. In order to unlock caramelized onion flavor you will need to make sure you cook the onions until they are almost a caramel color. Don't rush it!

How to Make French Onion Chicken

To make this recipe, you'll need:

Butter - I use butter to keep things from sticking to the pan and add a salty richness that only butter can.
Chicken breasts - chicken breast is one of my favorite proteins and it loves to soak up richness from the onions, butter, and spices in this recipe. See FAQs for info about substituting chicken thighs.
Thyme - thyme is the aromatic high point of this dish. Dry thyme will work but I like to use fresh thyme whenever possible. If you can't grow it outdoors all year round try a kitchen grow kit.
Salt and Pepper - this dynamic duo will bring out the flavor of all the other ingredients while also adding a hit of heat. As a general rule you want to use a ratio of 3:1 salt : pepper.
Onions - you want to make sure to slice the onions very thin so they can caramelize easily. I use yellow onions for this recipe but you can use white onions as well.
Beef broth - use a high quality beef broth for the best flavor in your sauce. Beef broth will give this chicken a hearty hit that isn't possible with vegetable or chicken broth.
Cornstarch - I use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, you can substitute with arrowroot powder if you prefer. Do not omit this or your sauce will be very runny.
Gruyere cheese - gruyere has a sweet but also slightly salty flavor and melts well over the chicken. If you want to substitute another cheese I recommend parmesan or asiago for a similar flavor and texture.

picture of browned onions and french onion sauce in a pan

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:

Prep - Pound the chicken breasts till they are 1” thick. Season with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Use an oven safe skillet to heat 1 tablespoon of butter until bubbly hot. Sear the chicken on both sides and set it aside.
Brown Chicken - Add 2 tablespoons more of butter to the skillet. Once hot add the onions to the pan and cook for at least 10 to 15 minutes or until the onions are browned and completely softened.
Make French Onion Sauce - Mix the beef broth and cornstarch together in a small bowl until combined. Add it to the onions and cook for 2 minutes until thickened then turn the heat off.
Bake - Add the chicken back to the skillet and cover in the onion sauce. Top the chicken with shredded gruyere and bake in the oven at 400? for 5 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees internal temperature.
Enjoy! -

Tips and Tricks to Perfect French Onion Chicken:

Check out these tips and tricks to master this recipe.

Cook the onions until caramel in color. The onions are the powerhouse flavor in this recipe so make sure you cook them until they are truly caramelized. You can add a little dusting of sugar to the onions to make them caramelize better.

Use a high-quality beef broth. You want to use a high-quality beef broth for this recipe. I prefer the “better than bouillon” brand. Buy it at this link.

FAQ’s:

Can I use chicken thigh instead of chicken breast?

Yes, chicken thighs will work here. Use boneless skinless chicken thighs and only pound the thick part of the thigh.

What's the best way to keep leftovers?

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

What to serve with French Onion Chicken Breast?

I love to serve French onion chicken breast alongside, garlic herb green beans, roast garlic parmesan asparagus, buttery soft dinner rolls, garlic butter potatoes, or parmesan zucchini.

If you can't get enough of French onion chicken breast, try these next, one pot garlic butter chicken thighs and mushrooms, garlic baked pork tenderloin, air fryer chicken drumsticks, and garlic flank steak.

Check out my other favorite chicken recipes by clicking here!

chicken breast with melted cheese and french onions

French Onion Chicken

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French Onion Chicken Breast

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This recipe marries the rich, savory flavor of classic french onion soup with succulent chicken breast for a bite you won't forget!

Ingredients

3 tablespoon butter, divided
4 medium chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 large onions, sliced very thin
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup grated gruyere cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Pound chicken breasts with a rolling pin until about 1” thick.
Season both sides of chicken with thyme, salt, and pepper.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in an oven safe skillet then add the chicken.
Sear chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Set the seared chicken aside
In the skillet, heat 2 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add sliced onions and cook for 10-15 minutes or until browned and softened.
In a small bowl, mix the beef broth with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
Add the broth cornstarch mixture to the onions. Whisk together for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Turn off heat.
Add chicken back to the skillet and using a spoon, cover the chicken with the onions and sauce.
Top each chicken breast with finely shredded gruyere cheese.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 5-8 minutes or until internal temp reads 165F.