Description
This French Onion Chicken recipe combines succulent, tender chicken cutlets with rich caramelized onions, savory beef broth, and melted Gruyere cheese for a comforting and flavorful meal. Perfectly seasoned and baked to bubbly perfection, it’s an elegant twist on classic French onion flavors served right at home.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 pounds / 790g)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
Onion Mixture
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 700g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (360mL)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 4 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated (113g)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken Cutlets: Cut each chicken breast lengthwise to create 4 evenly sized cutlets. If needed, pound the cutlets to an even thickness of about ¾ inch using a meat mallet. Season all over with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Dredge in Flour: Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off any excess. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the flour for later use.
- Sear Chicken: Heat a large 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then place cutlets in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes on each side until lightly golden, though the chicken may not be fully cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the finished dish.
- Caramelize Onions: Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Melt butter, add sliced onions and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes until translucent, then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions turn golden brown. If the bottom browns too much, add 1-2 tablespoons beef broth or water to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Stir in minced garlic and sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons flour over the onions. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes to combine and cook out the raw flour taste.
- Simmer Broth and Seasonings: Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh thyme leaves. Stir well, scraping browned bits from the pan bottom. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes.
- Assemble and Bake: Nestle the chicken cutlets back into the onion mixture in the skillet. Spoon additional onion mixture over each piece, then evenly top each cutlet with grated cheese.
- Bake to Melt Cheese: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and a grind of black pepper. Serve hot alongside slices of baguette, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Notes
- Use an oven-proof skillet to avoid transferring the dish mid-preparation.
- To ensure even cooking, pound chicken cutlets to a uniform thickness.
- For more depth of flavor, deglaze the pan regularly while caramelizing the onions to avoid burning.
- Gruyere cheese is preferred for its melting quality and nutty flavor, but Swiss can be substituted.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat gently to preserve texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken cutlet with topping (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
