French onion chicken is an easy dinner made with seasoned chicken breast, onion soup, broth, and toasted bread for a simple take on the restaurant classic. It is a quick, flavorful meal that is perfect for busy weeknights.
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Ingredients you'll need
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Oil - Olive oil is used here, but we are browning the chicken on medium heat so any oil suitable for sautéing will do, use your favorite.
Chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of any fat. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and adjust the cooking time.
Seasoning - Salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper make a simple seasoning mix for the chicken.
Butter - Regular salted butter works, use unsalted if that is what you have on hand, or if you are sensitive to salt.
Pantry - All-purpose flour works as a thickener to give the sauce a little body, along with condensed onion soup and chicken broth.
Bread - Use bread that has a crusty exterior already and is stale. It needs to be hard, so it does not become too mushy as soon as it hits the onion soup sauce. Stale baguettes are perfect for this dish.
Cheese - We use provolone cheese because that is what we use to make our French onion soup, but Gruyere, yellow Swiss cheese, mozzarella (not fresh), and Monterey Jack will also work well.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make French onion chicken
Season the chicken on both sides with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Arrange the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes to brown.
- Turn each piece and cook another 2-3 minutes to brown the other side. Take the skillet off the heat and remove the chicken to a plate or pan. Tent loosely to keep warm.
- Do not wash or wipe the skillet. Place it back over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour.
- Cook the butter flour mixture for 1-1½ minutes to cook the raw flour a bit. Stir almost constantly.
- Add the French onion soup and chicken broth, stirring and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
- Lower the heat to low. Arrange the bread around chicken using all the empty spaces.
- Arrange the slices of provolone cheese on top of the chicken and the bread.
Cover the skillet and cook about 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Recipe tips and notes
Use low-sodium ingredients if you are sensitive to salt. Low-sodium chicken broth, reduced-sodium cheese, and unsalted butter should be easy to find. You can also reduce the salt used to season the chicken and adjust at the end if needed.
If you are using fresh bread instead of stale, toast it first. Preheat the oven to 350°F, cut the baguette into 1-inch cubes, and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until toasted, then set aside for later.
The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken. If the pieces are thin, start checking the internal temperature after about 7 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked through.
Storing and reheating instructions
Let the chicken cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If serving with toasted bread, store it separately for the best texture.
To freeze, place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2-3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat, in the microwave until heated through, or in a covered oven-safe dish at 350°F until hot. Add a splash of broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
According to USDA recommendations, do not leave cooked food out for longer than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
If you liked this recipe, try our chicken and gravy for another easy dinner with a rich, comforting sauce. Baked caprese chicken and artichoke chicken are also great options when you want quick, simple chicken dinners with plenty of flavor.
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📖 Recipe
French Onion Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 Chicken Breast boneless, skinless, and trimmed of any fat (about 1½ pounds, 6 ounces each)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose Flour
- 1 10.5 ounce can Condensed Onion Soup (like Campbells condensed French Onion Soup)
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 4 cups Cubed Baguette Bread - roughly 1-inch pieces stale or toasted (about ½ or ¾ of a baguette, depending on how large it is)
- 6-8 slices Provolone Cheese about 4-5 ounces
Instructions
- Season the chicken on both sides with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Arrange the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes to brown. Turn each piece and cook another 2-3 minutes to brown the other side.
- Take the skillet off the heat and remove the chicken to a plate or pan. Keep warm by loosely covering it with a piece of aluminum foil, and/or place the plate in the microwave or oven to keep it away from drafts.
- Do not wash or wipe the skillet. Place it back over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour. Cook the butter flour mixture for 1 - 1½ minutes to cook the raw flour a bit. Stir almost constantly.
- Next, add the French onion soup and the chicken broth while stirring and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Move around the skillet making small circles with a wooden spoon.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet along with any juices collected on the plate.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a simmer (this will take about 1-2 minutes). Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until the largest piece of chicken reaches 165°F at its thickest part. Turn about halfway through the cooking time.
- Lower the heat to low.
- Arrange the bread around chicken using all the empty spaces. Arrange the slices provolone cheese on top of the chicken and the bread. Cover the skillet and cook about 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve the French onion chicken with brown rice, mashed potatoes, a side salad, vegetables or your favorite side dishes.
Notes
- If you are using fresh bread instead of stale it needs to be toasted. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the baguette into 1-inch cubes and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 5-10 minutes or until toasted. Remove from the oven and reserve for later.
- The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken. If working with thinner pieces take the internal temperature after 7 minutes or so to gauge the remaining cooking time.
- If you are sensitive to salt use low-sodium ingredients (like low-sodium chicken broth, reduced sodium cheese and butter) and cut the salt to season the chicken and adjust at the end if needed.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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