French Onion Chicken
How many ways can you prepare chicken? I think that question has been asked for a long. long time and nobody has come up with a solid answer... because as soon as you think all the ways have been done, somebody invents another one.
Take this recipe. It's kind of like making French Onion soup, but using it as a sauce for cooking chicken. I'd never heard it before, but it sounded delicious and went on my "try it" list. However, I found at least three different ways to prepare it... and I'm sure if I kept looking longer I'd find more. Go figure.
Anyway, if you're a fan of French Onion soup and you also enjoy chicken, this combination might be a good choice for you. The flavors work well together, and even if you didn't cook the chicken in it I'm sure this would make an excellent soup. It's also versatile; you can use chicken thighs or breasts; I prefer using thighs as they are more flavorful and less likely to dry out.
This is also one of my rare "iron skillet" meals, as it is both cooked on the stovetop and then popped into the oven to bake, making it perfect for my one and only iron skillet (okay, it's ceramic-lined, but at least I have one).
Adapted from Sugar Maple Farmhouse
A different take on chicken, essentially cooking it in a homemade French Onion style soup. This is a one-pan dish that goes from stovetop to oven, so be sure to use an oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven when cooking it.
Adapted from Sugar Maple Farmhouse
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cup yellow onions, sliced
- 1 cup shallots, diced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cup beef stock or broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp beef bouillon paste/concentrate
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the chicken seasoning except for the olive oil and mix well.
Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Rub 1 teaspoon of olive oil on both sides of the chicken, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture on both sides.
In a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil from the chicken seasoning over medium heat. Place the seasoned chicken in the skillet and cook/sear for approximately 2 minutes per side (the chicken will not be fully cooked). Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, then add the onions and shallots. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions have caramelized. Add butter and garlic and cook another 5 minutes, still stirring frequently.
Add the wine to the pan to deglaze it, cooking for 3-4 minutes and scraping up the brown bits off the bottom. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and beef bouillon paste and mix thoroughly. Add the thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.
Add the chicken back to the skillet, spooning sauce over them to keep the tops from drying out. Cover and bake in the oven 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the skillet from the oven and set the controls to Broil. Top chicken with shredded cheese and place back into the oven uncovered to broil 1-2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Servings 6
Serving Size 8 oz
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 664kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 38.7g60%
- Saturated Fat 15.4g77%
- Cholesterol 253mg85%
- Sodium 2047mg86%
- Potassium 331mg10%
- Total Carbohydrate 15.3g6%
- Dietary Fiber 2.1g9%
- Sugars 4.4g
- Protein 58.7g118%
- Calcium 475 mg
- Iron 4 mg
- Vitamin D 200 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
- Chicken thighs or breasts can be used. If using chicken breasts, make the following changes:
- Slice each breast in half lengthwise before seasoning
- Cook/sear for 3 minutes per side
- Increase oven cooking to 20-25 minutes
- Caramelizing the onions is the key to this recipe. Keep stirring them in the skillet frequently so they don't stick or burn.
- There are several types of bouillon pastes/concentrates available; my personal favorite is Better than Bouillon but there are also products from Knorr, Kitchen Accomplice, and others