French Onion Baked Chicken
A cozy one-skillet meal featuring sweet caramelized onions, seared chicken, and gooey cheese, perfect for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
For the caramelized onions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 medium sweet yellow or white onions, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed (plus more for garnish)
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
For the chicken
- 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc, optional)
- 1 cup beef stock
For the cheese topping
- ¼ pound provolone cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
- ¼ pound Swiss cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
Instructions
Caramelizing the Onions
- Heat olive oil and butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add sliced onions and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add sugar, sea salt, thyme, and bay leaf to onions.
- Continue cooking until onions are caramelized, about 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of wine or beef broth if onions darken too quickly.
- In the last minutes of caramelizing, add garlic and cook for 2 minutes; avoid burning.
Cooking the Chicken
- While onions cook, pat chicken dry and pound to ½ to ¾-inch thickness. Season with black pepper.
- Remove onions from skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken. Sear until browned, 3–4 minutes per side.
Making the Sauce
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove chicken and add onions back to skillet. Sprinkle with flour, cook 1–2 minutes.
- Add wine, simmer 2–3 minutes. Add beef broth, simmer until thickened.
Baking
- Return chicken to skillet, top with cheese.
- Bake in oven for 20–25 minutes until cheese melts and chicken reaches 165°F.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with onions and sauce.
Notes
Use low heat and patience to caramelize onions for best sweetness. Pound chicken evenly so it cooks through at the same time. If you skip wine, add a little more beef stock for depth. Let the skillet sauce thicken before returning the chicken to avoid a thin gravy.