This French Onion Chicken Skillet is a delicious weeknight dinner that is a play on French onion soup. It’s packed with protein for a filling meal!
I love this recipe for a cozy easy weeknight dinner, but it’s also perfect for date night! It feels fancy without any of the fuss.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Cozy comfort, high protein: All the rich, cozy French onion flavour you love, but with a hearty, high-protein base that actually keeps you full.
- Effortless but impressive: Comes together quickly, but the French onion flavours make it feel like a special-occasion meal even if it’s a regular weeknight.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or any neutral cooking oil such as avocado or canola oil.
- Chicken breasts – chicken cutlets or chicken thighs can also be used. You could also make this recipe with another protein like pork chops, steak or fish.
- Yellow onions – I find that yellow onions are best but you could also try sweet onions, red onions, shallots or leeks.
- Flour – feel free to use a gluten-free flour of your choice like almond flour.
- Red wine – for an alcohol-free version, add in some extra beef broth instead.
- Beef broth – beef bouillon cubes dissolved into hot water are the best substitute.
- Swiss cheese – swap out for another cheese like Emmental or pizza mozzarella.
Oven-roasted broccoli
- Broccoli – feel free to serve the chicken with another veggie of your choice like cauliflower.
- Olive oil – see substitution notes above.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
How to make French onion chicken skillet
Step 1: Sauté the chicken.
Cook the chicken until golden brown and set aside.
Step 2: Roast the broccoli.
Roast the broccoli in the oven until tender.
Step 3: Caramelize the onions.
Slowly caramelize the onions until softened and browned, then add cornstarch.
Step 4: Make the sauce.
Stir in the wine and broth with the onions to create the French onion sauce.
Step 5: Add the chicken.
Place the chicken back to the pan in a single layer
Step 6: Finish and enjoy!
Top the chicken with the onions and cheese and cover until melted. Then serve and enjoy!
Tips for the best French Onion Chicken
- Slice the onions evenly: Thin even slices will caramelize better and prevent burning or uneven cooking.
- Be patient with the onions: Caramelizing takes time. Keep the heat on medium and stir occasionally. When onions burn they turn bitter.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Get some good colour on the chicken but try not to overcook. Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure.
- Deglaze fully: When you add the wine and broth, scrape up any browned bits on the pan to get all the flavour.
- Use freshly grated cheese: It melts smoother and gives you that perfect gooey French-onion-style topping.
- Herb upgrade: Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley for extra freshness and flavour.
Frequently asked questions
How do you caramelize onions?
Take your time to let the natural sugars break down for a deep, sweet flavor. Slice the onions thin, but not too thin, to avoid crispiness. Cook them over low heat in oil, stirring every few minutes. If they start to burn, add a splash of water and scrape up the browned bits, then continue cooking at a lower temperature.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes! Chicken thighs work just as well and add extra juiciness to the dish. Adjust the cooking time to ensure they are fully cooked.
How do I thicken the sauce?
If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it into the sauce while it simmers.
What to serve with french onion chicken
- Roasted, steamed or sautéed veggies of your choice
- A simple side salad with a vinaigrette
- A crusty loaf of bread or french baguette
- Rice or potatoes
How to store and reheat
Storing: Keep this dish in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it perfect for meal prep. You can divide it into single servings for ready-to-go lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Reheating: Microwave individual portions for a few minutes or reheat in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes until warmed through.
Freezing: This recipe freezes well and can be stored in meal prep containers for up to 3 months. It’s a great option for make-ahead dinners. Thaw overnight and reheat.
Freezing caramelized onions: Cook a large batch of onions and freeze in small portions, such as in a muffin tray, for easy use. Caramelized onions last in the freezer for up to 5 months and make a great topping for meats, burgers, soups, and more!
More chicken skillet dinners
French Onion Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 4 chicken cutlets
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 4 yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
Oven-roasted broccoli
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Saute chicken for 4-5 minutes each side, then remove from heat. Add remaining olive oil to skillet, lower heat to medium, then add onions, season with sugar and salt, and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions become caramelized.
- Meanwhile, toss broccoli with 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes until broccoli is tender.
- Once onions are softened and browned, mix in cornstarch and then add red wine and beef broth, mixing well to combine. Cook another 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Add chicken back to skillet and cover with onion mixture, then top with cheese and put lid on top of skillet to let cheese melt, about 2 minutes.
- Serve chicken with broccoli and enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Tara says
French Onion Chicken Skillet with roasted broccoli 🥦 was a hit last night for dinner! Weeknight fancy meals can happen!😋🙌💚
Suzie says
So easy and yummy! I didn’t have beef broth and just used chicken stock and it was still excellent. I even forgot to put the flour and it was still great. (I would us corn starch since we are GF) Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed! 🙂
Maria V Arnold says
Doing the Free Challenge, just a bit behind lol. This recipe asks for only 2 TBs of red wine. I do not drink red wine and it seems silly to open a bottle for only 2 TB. Can it be replaced with red wine vinegar? Any other suitable substitution? Please let me know, thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Maria – you can just leave it out! Do NOT use red wine vinegar.
Andrea says
Delicious! Doing the meal challenge this week but in a different order. How do you manage to caramelize onion in 10 min? I think I spent 25min before I gave up and acceptly lightly browned onion. 🙂
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Andrea! The onions don’t exactly get caramelized, that’s not what I advertise about this recipe – they do get browned enough in 10 minutes to give that same taste as French onion soup but in a much quicker weeknight dinner kind of way with some protein to boot. This recipe is reminiscent of French onion soup, not an authentic version as it takes over an hour to make. Hope that makes sense.
george says
Purchased your Meal Prep and Planner Guide. While the recipes show number of servings but do not show serving size. Is there a formula to figure it out?
Thanks.
George
Taylor Stinson says
Hi George – I don’t provide servings by weight/cup unfortunately! You will need to take the number of servings listed and divide into portions. Each portion is a serving. The reason I do this is because even if I gave a serving size, it still may not accurately reflect the nutritional info. In some cases, you may even have parts of the recipe left over if I gave a 1 cup serving, for instance (this depends on the exact ingredients used). Dividing the entire recipe up into the amount of servings listed is a much better reflection of how large a serving should be.
Leigh Ann Osmulski says
is the nutrition for one serving or for all of it?!
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Leigh Ann – it’s for one serving.