French Onion Chicken Recipe (GF)

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I love a weeknight dinner that feels fancy. While the onions may take some time to caramelize, this dinner is worth the wait and makes the best leftovers. Serve it with rice or mashed potatoes alongside a salad for a complete meal.

This French onion chicken skillet is an easy weeknight dinner. Other chicken recipes that are easy for weeknight meals are the Chicken Piccata Meatballs, Za'atar Chicken, and the Grilled Chicken Kabobs.

You will need the following ingredients to make this french onion chicken bake:

Ingredient Notes

• Beef Bouillon Paste - I alway have Better Than Bouillon in the house and it is my go-to for broths and stocks. I tested and used this paste to make the beef broth in this recipe as well. You can buy a pre-made beef broth but I didn't want to spend the extra money if the bouillon worked well, which it did.
• Flour - I use a gluten-free all-purpose flour in this recipe. I did test this with regular all-purpose flour, which works just fine.
• Chicken - I chose cutlets, which cook fast. You can substitute chicken breasts or even boneless chicken thighs in this recipe. The time it takes to cook will need to be adjusted so the chicken is cooked through.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Additions:

• Mushrooms - I love mushrooms! If you have some and want to add it into this recipe, slice the mushrooms thin and saute them once you remove the onions from the skillet. Add 2 teaspoons of extra olive oil and saute until they are golden brown. Remove them from the skillet and set aside before cooking the chicken.
• Bacon - Another natural pairing for this recipe. Slice your bacon into small pieces and just like the mushrooms, saute the bacon in the same skillet once you remove the onions. Add the cooked bacon to the onion mixture before topping the chicken.
• Vegetables - If you would like to add some veggies and make this a one pan meal, I suggest adding in some spinach at the end and wilt it around the chicken.

How To Make This French Onion Chicken Recipe: Step-By-Step

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:

Step 1: Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onions, thyme, and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent and then add broth. Continue cooking until the onions are soft. Add in the sugar and continue cooking until the onions brown. Remove and set aside.

Step 2: Season the chicken and coat in flour. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan with the olive oil and cook about 3 minutes a side. Set the chicken aside.

Step 3: Add the sherry to the skillet and simmer for a couple of minutes. Then add the broth and bouillon. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened.

Step 4: Add the chicken back to the skillet, top with the onions and cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

• Use a cast iron skillet or another heavy-bottomed pan for the best results. I use either a Staub skillet or a cast-iron pan for this recipe.
• Wipe the pan out after removing the onions. You don't really need to wash the pan but you can rinse it if you prefer.

The onions take time to caramelize. Use the "low and slow method" and don't get impatient. The onions will start turning brown but it could take up to 20 minutes.

Yes! You will need to adjust the cooking time. Chicken breasts take longer to cook all the way through.

Yes. You can prepare the onions up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The chicken I would prepare the day you are making this dish so you can take advantage of scraping up the browned bits into the sauce for added flavor.

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