Easy Skillet French Onion Chicken is a mouthwatering dish that combines juicy chicken with sweet caramelized onions and gooey Gruyére cheese.
Caramelized onions make everything better. Am I right?
Well, they're not just for the beloved soup or Greek yogurt French onion dip!
Paired with melted cheese and perfectly seasoned and tender chicken breasts, you have an upscale dinner for a special occasion that's easy enough for a weeknight.
It only qualifies as a 30-minute meal if you cook the onions beforehand. And you can!
Here are more reasons to love this French Onion Chicken Skillet recipe:
- You'll only need to clean one pan.
- The dish is ready in about 15 minutes if you caramelize the onions ahead of time or have some in the freezer.
- It's a popular flavor profile that's fancy enough for date nights and holiday dinners.
- It's low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free.
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Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this easy French onion chicken recipe on the stovetop:
- Skinless chicken breasts that are thin-sliced or pounded thin. Chicken cutlets, butterflied chicken, or boneless chicken thighs can also be used.
- Onion - sweet, yellow, or white, uniformly sliced to ¼ inch to ⅛ inch in thickness. If they're too thick, they won't brown. If they're too thin, they will quickly crisp.
- Gruyére cheese - Swiss, mozzarella, provolone, or a cheese mix are all good options.
- Olive oil and/or butter are used for cooking the onions and pan-frying the chicken. There's lots of conflicting information about the best thing to use when caramelizing onions. The bottom line is that you can use one or the other or a combination of both. The same holds true for browning chicken.
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried or fresh thyme leaves are used to season the chicken.
- Water, balsamic vinegar, or white wine is used to deglaze the pan while the onions are cooking.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Do I need a cast iron skillet to make this recipe?
You don't need a cast iron skillet to brown chicken or cook onions. I didn't use one. But if you have one, it's an excellent choice because it holds and distributes heat well.
Directions
It takes about 40 minutes to make French Onion Chicken in a skillet. Cooking the onions is the time-consuming step. Make them at your convenience and store them in the refrigerator!
How to Caramelize Onions
Patience is the key to deep golden brown caramelized onions. Here's how to make them:
- Heat olive oil and/or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. It doesn't take much fat, about 1 teaspoon per onion, to start the process. They will release juices as they cook. Add sliced onions to the pan, stir them with the butter/oil mixture, and spread them out.
- Stir them every 3-5 minutes. The onions need undisturbed time so they can brown. But they can't sit for too long, or they will burn. With the initial stir, sprinkle a little salt over them to help draw moisture out of the onions.
- Continue cooking onions for about 20 minutes, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add a teaspoon of water if the onions seem dry as you continue cooking. I usually add about 1 Tablespoon to one onion. Depending on your stovetop, you may need to adjust the heat setting slightly lower or higher.
- When the onions are browned to your liking, remove them from the pan and set aside.
Finishing French Onion Chicken
To complete the dish, pan-fry the chicken, add the toppings, and cover to melt the cheese. It's the same technique used to make Guacamole Chicken.
Note: This process assumes the chicken breasts are no more than ½ inch thick!
- Melt butter and olive oil in the same pan used to cook onions. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme. Now, add chicken to the hot skillet in a single layer. Work in batches if doubling the recipe. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- I use my trusty meat thermometer to ensure it's cooked through and not overcooked. After you flip the chicken, insert the thermometer into the thickest part. If it's not cooking as quickly as you like, partially cover the pan with a lid.
- When the chicken is finished, spread caramelized onions over each piece.
- Next, sprinkle shredded cheese over the onions.
- Cover the pan with a lid to melt the cheese for a few minutes. You can broil it in the oven for a few minutes instead.
Below is the finished French Onion Chicken before removing it from the skillet. Save a few onions and thyme leaves to garnish the top.
Optional Sauce
I don't make a sauce for Skillet French Onion Chicken. It doesn't need it, especially if you're in a 5 o'clock rush to get dinner on the table.
However, there are times when you may want to take this extra step. Here's how:
Add one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, one tablespoon of flour, and ½ cup of chicken broth to the pan. Whisk and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Storage: Store leftover French onion chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Cover and warm in the microwave in 1-minute bursts. Alternatively, tent with aluminum foil and heat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Make-Ahead: Caramelized onions can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to or in the freezer for up to a week or in the freezer for 2 months. Slow-cooker caramelized onions with a splash of balsamic vinegar are fantastic in this recipe.
FAQ
Frozen chicken breasts can be pan-fried. Add chicken to the pan with melted butter/olive oil and cook for several minutes on each side. Utilize a cover to speed up the cooking time. When partially defrosted, add seasonings, and continue cooking until fully cooked.
Large or thick chicken breasts are best cooked in the oven. Season them as noted in the recipe and sear each side on the stovetop first. Then, place them in an oven-safe skillet or pan and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken from the oven, add caramelized onions and cheese, then return to the oven for a few minutes more to melt the cheese.
Best Sides for French Onion Chicken
Wondering what to serve with this French-inspired dish? We suggest:
- Asparagus or green beans
- Caesar salad or simple green salad
- Sauteed baby carrots
- Loaded mashed cauliflower or mashed potatoes
- Crusty bread
- Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes or Flourless Chocolate Cake with Ganache
More Fantastic Skillet Chicken Recipes
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📋 Recipe
Skillet French Onion Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil divided; 1 teaspoon for onions; 2 teaspoons for chicken
- 1 large Onion halved and sliced ⅛ inch to ¼ inch thick
- 1 pound chicken breasts thin-sliced or pounded to ½ inch thickness; cutlets also work will
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste; divided
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese shredded; Other options: mozzarella, Swiss, and provolone cheese
- 1 Tablespoon butter for cooking chicken; can use oil or a combination of oil and butter instead.
Instructions
Caramelize Onions
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions to the pan, stir them with the oil, and spread them out.
- Stir them every 3-5 minutes. The onions need undisturbed time so they can brown. But they can't sit for too long, or they will burn. With the initial stir, sprinkle a little salt over them to help draw moisture out of the onions.
- Continue cooking onions for about 20 minutes, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add a teaspoon of water if the onions seem dry as you continue cooking. I usually add about 1 Tablespoon to one onion. Depending on your stovetop, you may need to adjust the heat setting slightly lower or higher.
- When the onions are browned to your liking, remove them from the pan.
Cook Chicken and Finish
- Add butter to the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat until butter is melted and begins to froth.
- Season both sides of each piece of chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme. Add to the pan in a single layer. Work in batches if doubling the recipe.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cooking time depends upon the thickness of the chicken. Partially cover the pan with a lid to speed up the cooking process.
- When the chicken is cooked through, turn the heat to low and spread caramelized onions over the top. Top each piece of chicken with a portion of the shredded cheese. Cover skillet with a lid until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover French onion chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Cover and warm in the microwave in 1-minute bursts. Alternatively, tent with aluminum foil and heat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Make-Ahead: Caramelized onions can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to or in the freezer for up to a week or in the freezer for 2 months. Slow-cooker caramelized onions with a splash of balsamic vinegar are fantastic in this recipe.
Mandy
This was so easy to make and delicious. Had it for Sunday night family dinner. Everyone loved even my husband who is very particular. 😍
Marjory Pilley
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!