French Onion Chicken

5 from 7 votes

French Onion Chicken

French Onion Chicken is smothered in savory onion gravy and topped with melty cheese. These juicy baked chicken thighs are inspired by the flavors of the classic French onion soup recipe.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 25

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked chicken thighs recipe, baked french onion chicken, French onion chicken recipe

Servings:

Author: Katerina | Diethood

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chicken Thighs

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Onions

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 yellow onions sliced into thin rings
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup dry white wine like chardonnay or pinot grigio
2 cups low sodium beef broth
8 ounces grated gruyere cheese
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375˚F.
Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken thighs to the heated oil, skin-side down, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip over the chicken thighs and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add more oil, if needed.
Remove chicken thighs from the pan and set them aside.
Return the pan to the burner and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the sliced onions. Stir in the sugar; cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid. Give it a stir and continue to cook for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the onions are very soft and caramelized. Add the butter, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the wine; bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, or until half of the liquid is reduced. Stir in the beef broth and cook for 10 more minutes.
Remove from the burner. Add chicken back into the skillet, arranged on top of the onions. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Place back in the oven and cook until cheese is melted; about 3 to 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

Chicken: This recipe uses chicken thighs, but if you want to use chicken breasts, please adjust the cooking time. Chicken breasts will need less time to cook through. Use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked through when chicken's internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
Gruyere Cheese: I highly recommend using shredded Gruyere cheese for French Onion Chicken, but if you must use something else, you can try this recipe with Fontina or Emmental.

Nutrition