Description
This French Onion Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts pounded thin, seasoned, and seared to a golden crust, then topped with a rich caramelized onion sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. The dish combines deeply flavored caramelized onions with herbs and a savory white wine and broth sauce, baked until bubbly and perfect for a comforting, elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ Tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
Onions and Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 yellow onions (about 1.5 lbs.), sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay or pinot grigio)
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese (provolone or gruyere can be used as alternatives)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into 2-3 thinner slices each. Place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer until about ¼ inch thick to ensure even cooking and tenderness.
- Season and Dredge: Pat the chicken slices dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Mix the flour and Parmesan cheese, then dredge each piece of chicken thoroughly in the mixture, coating well.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken slices for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown crust forms. Adjust heat as necessary to prevent burning, adding more olive oil if needed. Remove chicken and tent with foil to keep warm; the chicken will finish cooking in the oven if needed.
- Caramelize the Onions: Slice onions into ¼ inch thick slices. In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the chicken—this adds flavor to your sauce. Add the sliced onions and toss to coat. Soften the onions for 5 minutes, then add soy sauce, rosemary, thyme, and sage.
- Cook Onions Low and Slow: Cover the skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook the onions for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even caramelization.
- Finish Caramelizing: Remove the cover and increase the heat to medium. Continue cooking the onions for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently until deeply caramelized and flavorful.
- Make the Sauce: Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C). Add minced garlic and white wine to the skillet with onions. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes until the wine is reduced almost completely.
- Thicken the Sauce: Sprinkle flour over the onions and toss to coat well. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Then add chicken broth, beef broth, and crumble in the beef bouillon cube. Increase heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a gentle boil, allowing it to thicken and reduce for 3-5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
- Bake the Dish: If your skillet is oven-safe, you can bake the dish directly in it. If not, transfer the onion sauce to an oven-safe casserole dish. Place the seared chicken slices back on top of the onion sauce. Generously cover the chicken with mozzarella cheese.
- Final Bake: Bake in the preheated 475°F oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown.
- Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh thyme if desired, and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Using the textured side of a meat tenderizer helps pound the chicken faster and more evenly.
- Dredging chicken in a flour and Parmesan mixture creates a flavorful, crispy crust.
- Scraping fond from the pan after searing adds tremendous flavor to the caramelized onion sauce.
- Low and slow cooking of the onions is key to achieving deep caramelization without burning.
- If you don’t have dry white wine, you may substitute with additional chicken broth, but wine adds essential flavor complexity.
- Oven-safe skillets make transferring from stovetop to oven easy and reduce cleanup.
- Provolone or gruyere cheeses make excellent alternative toppings if mozzarella is unavailable.
- The dish pairs well with crusty bread or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop and Baking
- Cuisine: French-American
Keywords: French Onion Chicken, caramelized onion chicken, baked chicken, savory chicken recipe, comfort food, easy chicken dinner
