Dust off that old beret and throw on your most Parisian looking black and white striped t-shirt, we’re making French Onion chicken! There are certain recipes that I know instantly are going to be successful. This was one of them. How can you go wrong with caramelized onions, cheese, and chicken in a rich savory white wine pan sauce?! You can’t.
French onion soup has been around for thousands of years. According to French lore, the soup originated when King Louis XV returned to his lodge after a long day of hunting with his court only to find the cupboards were practically bare. All that he and his great-aunt, who was staying there at the time, could find were onions, butter, and champagne. They threw it all into a pot, let it cook, and then devoured their new delicious creation. Although the accuracy of this legend is debatable…it certainly does get two things right: French Onion soup is a delicious and comforting meal to come back to after a long cold day spent outdoors and it is a meal suitable for even the likes of a king.
When I was drafting up this recipe I knew I wanted it to be quick and easy to clean up. I wanted it to be a meal that you could easily throw together any night of the week. And also something you were excited to come home and make because it’s THAT good. I wanted it to be a recipe that you would frequently crave but that was also healthy enough that you could eat it once a week and not feel guilty.
Every time I’ve made this chicken, I find that it is perfectly satisfying by itself. Sure, if you’re famished you may want to eat it with a light green salad or some roasted vegetables. But you do not need pasta, bread, or potatoes to make it feel more substantial. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself searching for a spoon to scoop up any of the leftover sauce though. It’s that good.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Chop your onions. Yes all three of them. Slice the onion in half lengthwise, and then cut it again into strips. If there is any part of the recipe you want to pawn off on a friend or your significant other..this is it. Bring on the tears.
Step 2: Pound town. But your chicken breasts into a large plastic ziplock and pound out your chicken using a meat mallet. If you don’t have a meat mallet, order one, I use it for a lot of my cooking. In the mean time you can also use a rolling pin or a cast iron skillet. Preheat your oven to 400.
Step 3: Chicken. After you’ve pounded out your chicken toss with it olive oil, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano. Transfer chicken to a cast iron skillet and put in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. As your chicken bakes, caramelize your onions.
Step 3: Caramelize. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to your sauté pan over medium heat. Add your onions and thyme. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. The onions should be softening and getting some color but not burning. If they are sticking too much to the pan add a tiny bit more oil and lower the heat. After 12 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions. Then deglaze with white wine, scraping any brown bits from the pan. Cook for 5 minutes and add the corn starch and water mixture. Then add beef broth. Continue to stir occasionally and allow to come to a boil and thicken.
Step 4: Combine. Remove chicken from the oven and top each chicken breast with onion sauce mixture and cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Step 5: Cheese. If you want your cheese to be be extra melted and bubbly, turn on your broiler and finish the dish for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is bubbling with golden spots.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 3 yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon corn starch combined with 1 tablespoon water and mixed
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 stems fresh thyme removed from the stem
Instructions
- Chop your onions. Yes all three of them. If there is any part of the recipe you want to pawn off on a friend or your significant other..this is it. Bring on the tears.
- But your chicken breasts into a large plastic ziplock and pound out your chicken using a meat mallet. If you don't have a meat mallet, order one, I use it for a lot of my cooking. In the mean time you can also use a rolling pin or a cast iron skillet. Preheat your oven to 400.
- After you've pounded out your chicken toss with it olive oil, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano. Transfer chicken to a cast iron skillet and put in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. As your chicken bakes, caramelize your onions.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to your saute pan over medium heat. Add your onions and thyme. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. The onions should be softening and getting some color but not burning. If they are sticking too much to the pan add a tiny bit more oil and lower the heat. After 12 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions. Then deglaze with white wine, scraping any brown bits from the pan. Cook for 5 minutes and add the corn starch and water mixture. Then add beef broth. Continue to stir occasionally and allow to come to a boil and thicken.
- Remove chicken from the oven and top each chicken breast with onion sauce mixture and cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes.
- If you want your cheese to be be extra melted and bubbly, turn on your broiler and finish the dish for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is bubbling with golden spots.