Love French Onion Soup? Wait until you get a taste of French Onion Chicken! These juicy baked chicken thighs are smothered in savory onion gravy and baked with melty cheese. A hearty dish inspired by all the cozy flavors we love about the classic soup recipe!

If you’re a fan of cheesy chicken dishes, be sure to also try this mouthwatering cheesy chicken spinach bake for a fabulous combination of flavors. Or, if you’re looking for something with a bit of a kick, the salsa chicken is a perfect choice!

 

French Onion Chicken Recipe

Today, we’re taking some savory inspiration from my easy crockpot French onion soup and turning it into a flavorful and easy chicken dinner! This French onion chicken is a saucy, flavor-packed meal that you’ll LOVE. Seriously, my kitchen smelled like a 5-star restaurant, and I didn’t even need to break a sweat. All I had to do was pan-sear chicken thighs, make the sauce, and bake everything in one skillet. We paired it with my slow cooker bread and dinnertime was grand! Honestly, some recipes just have it all, and this is one of them.

Using bone-in chicken thighs makes this skillet chicken recipe nearly impossible to mess up, and the whole dish cooks up super tender and delicious. The beefy onion gravy just seeps into all the nooks and crannies, and the cheese gets all melty and irresistible.

Why I Love This French Onion Chicken

• It’s easy. Like, one-pot-and-the-simplest-ingredients easy. French onion chicken is the perfect way to add a little luxury to your meal without turning your kitchen and shopping list into a circus. As in, no jumping through hoops. Just a straightforward skillet dinner with a major flavor payoff!
• It’s inspired by a bistro favorite. A warm bowl of French onion soup is a cozy and classic, comforting meal. We’re upping the ante by bringing succulent, savory chicken thighs into the mix. 
• You can save leftovers for lunch! This chicken dinner bakes up like a dream in a single skillet and you can refrigerate the leftovers for easy reheating.

Recipe Ingredients

For this French onion chicken recipe, you’ll need several but simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. These essentials create a delicious and cozy dish that’s perfect for fancy dinners or weeknights.

• Chicken Thighs: I use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs for my recipe. They turn out extra juicy and delicious!
• Seasoning: Salt and black pepper to taste, plus dried thyme and sweet paprika. If you don’t have thyme, basil or oregano will also work.
• Olive Oil: Choose a decent quality olive oil or vegetable oil for cooking at higher temperatures.
• Onions: I use yellow onions and slice them into rings. Other varieties like Vidalia or brown onions will also work.
• Sugar: Regular granulated sugar, or light brown sugar for caramelizing the onions.
• Butter: Use salted or unsalted, and adjust your seasoning as needed.
• Garlic: I recommend using freshly minced cloves.
• Wine: Like in a traditional French onion soup, a dry white wine (like chardonnay) is used to enhance the flavors of the sauce. If you’d prefer to cook without alcohol, you can substitute the wine with equal parts broth.
• Beef Broth: Or stock, preferably low-sodium. This way you can season to taste without the gravy becoming too salty. If you can get your hands on some bone broth, that is best in terms of flavor.
• Gruyere Cheese: This is the classic hard cheese used when making French Onion soup. Other options are Emmental or raclette cheese. You could also use white cheddar, in a pinch.
• Fresh Parsley: Chopped for optional garnish. 

How To Make French Onion Chicken

Creating this dish is so rewarding and perfect for impressing your family or guests with minimal effort. With just a few steps, you’ll transform simple ingredients into a savory, juicy, and cheesy masterpiece!

1. Prep the Chicken: First, season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika. Next, sear the chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet with a bit of olive oil. Let the skin side cook for a few minutes, then flip and sear the underside. After another 5 minutes or so, take the browned chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
2. Cook the Onions: Add more olive oil to the pan, reduce the heat a bit, then add in your sliced onions and sugar. Cover and cook until the onions are super soft and caramelized. Next, stir in the butter and garlic. Toss in a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Add Wine and Broth: After a couple of minutes, pour in your white wine. Bring everything to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced to half. After this, stir in the beef broth and continue to simmer.
4. Add the Chicken: After 10 minutes, transfer your seared chicken thighs back to the skillet. Place the whole thing in the preheated oven.
5. Bake: Bake the chicken for about 15 minutes, then take it out and sprinkle over some grated Gruyere. Return the skillet to the oven to get the cheese nice and melty. Finally, take out your French onion chicken, garnish, and serve!

Serving Suggestions

A classic French onion soup is topped with crusty bread and cheese. So, why not serve your cheesy French onion chicken with a side of crusty French bread, garlic bread, or low carb garlic breadsticks? Toasted bread is perfect for mopping up the extra onion gravy, too.

For more easy sides to complement your chicken, consider garlic mashed potatoes, jasmine rice, or a tomato burrata salad.

Roasted root vegetables, oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, and sautéed broccolini also make excellent accompaniments, adding variety and delicious flavors to your meal.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store any leftover chicken thighs and sauce airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat leftover chicken in the microwave or in the oven at 325ºF until the chicken is hot throughout.

More Cheesy Chicken Recipes

• Caprese Balsamic Baked Chicken Breasts
• Bruschetta Chicken
• Jalapeño Popper Baked Chicken Breasts
• Chicken-Broccoli Shells and Cheese