French Onion Chicken Bake (Printer-friendly)

Baked chicken with caramelized onions and melted Gruyere, delivering rich and comforting flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Onions

05 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - 1 teaspoon sugar
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ¼ cup dry white wine
13 - ½ cup beef or chicken broth

→ Topping

14 - 1½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.
03 - In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear chicken breasts for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add sliced onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions soften and turn golden, about 15–20 minutes.
05 - Sprinkle sugar over onions and continue to cook, stirring, until deeply caramelized, about 10 minutes more.
06 - Add minced garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute.
07 - Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up browned bits, then simmer until liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
08 - Stir in broth and simmer for 2 minutes more.
09 - Nestle seared chicken breasts into the onion mixture in the skillet. Spoon some onions over the chicken.
10 - Sprinkle shredded Gruyere evenly over the chicken and onions.
11 - Transfer skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and cheese is melted and golden.
12 - Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers the rich, savory-sweet profile of classic French onion soup in a protein-packed main dish.
  • The chicken is seared and then baked to stay tender and juicy under a layer of melted cheese.
  • With a total time of one hour, it is an accessible yet gourmet-feeling meal for any night of the week.
02 -
  • Don't rush the onions; the full 25-30 minutes of cooking time is necessary to develop the deep caramelization that defines the flavor.
  • Scrape the bottom of the skillet during deglazing to incorporate the flavorful browned bits into the sauce.
  • Letting the chicken rest for 5 minutes after baking allows the juices to redistribute for a better texture.
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