Although French Onion Chicken is delicious and has the best sauce/gravy known to man or beast, it isn’t very photogenic. Beige and brown foods are notoriously difficult to photograph. But don’t let the homeliness fool you. This recipe is swoon-worthy, restaurant-quality, and very easy to make. If you’re a fan of French onion soup, you’re going to be thrilled. French Onion Chicken has all the flavors you love, but the chicken makes it a glorious main dish.
Quickly-browned chicken cutlets bake on a bed of caramelized onions, and are topped with cheese and crunchy crumbs. Chicken cutlets are nothing more than boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut in half through the thickness. The thinner cutlets cook much more quickly than regular chicken breasts, and they tend to cook more evenly, too. You may find cutlets in the meat case at the grocery store, or, if you ask, the butcher may cut them for you. Cutting them only takes a minute, so I usually cut my own.
If you’ve never caramelized onions before, you’ll be delighted to hear that it’s very easy. All it takes is butter, onions, and patience. The addition of a pinch of sugar in this recipe makes the process go a little faster, but plan to spend at least 20 minutes letting the onion cook slowly, stirring occasionally. This is how you achieve that sweet, complex, onion flavor. for the crunchy topping I use breadcrumbs if I have them, but buttery cracker crumbs work, too.
Finally, if you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, simply transfer the onions and chicken to a casserole dish and proceed from there.
I always serve French Onion Chicken over Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, but you can use rice or pasta if you prefer. You can also pile leftover French Onion Chicken on a toasted po’boy roll and enjoy it as a sandwich. I even once shredded up the leftovers and put chicken, onions, and more cheese on Hawaiian rolls for party sandwiches. Nobody complained.
Enjoy!
French Onion Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 T. butter, divided
- 1 T. olive oil
- 4 chicken cutlets
- salt and pepper
- 2 yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
- a big pinch of white or brown sugar
- 2 T. flour
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 can beef consommé
- ½ t. ground pepper
- 1½ t. fresh thyme leaves, or ½ t. dried
- 1 cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs, or 3/4 cup buttery cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In an oven-proof skillet melt 2 T. of butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken quickly on both sides.
- Add two more T. butter, the sliced onions, salt and pepper to taste, and the pinch of sugar. Turn the heat to low and cook slowly for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is beginning to caramelize.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two while the raw taste cooks off. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half. Stir in the consommé, pepper, and thyme. Add the chicken to the skillet, nestling under the onions. Put in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the last 2 T. of butter and toss with the breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs. After the chicken has cooked in the oven for 20 minutes, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the chicken pieces. Top with the buttered crumbs. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crumbs are brown. Serve the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes or slices of toasted French bread.
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