Description
French Onion Chicken features tender chicken cutlets topped with sweet, caramelized onions, melted Gruyère cheese, and a rich pan sauce. This comforting dish combines classic French onion flavors with juicy chicken for an easy yet impressive main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets (16 to 20 ounces total)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Vegetables and Flavorings
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more as needed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Cheese and Flour
- 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour mix
Fats and Liquids
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and ¼ teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown around the edges.
- Simmer Onions with Flavorings: Reduce heat to medium-low, then add balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until onions are very tender, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water to deglaze as needed. Remove onions and set aside, wiping out the skillet.
- Prepare Chicken: If chicken cutlets are uneven in thickness, pound them between plastic wrap sheets until thin but intact. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper.
- Prepare Flour Mixture: In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, a pinch of salt, and paprika.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 1 teaspoon butter over medium heat in the cleaned skillet. Dredge two chicken cutlets in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, and place them in the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes until lightly browned, flip and cook another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken cutlets.
- Make Sauce: Combine chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture. Add to skillet and whisk over low heat for 1 minute until sauce thickens. Discard remaining flour mixture.
- Assemble and Melt Cheese: Return chicken to the skillet. Top each cutlet with caramelized onions and grated Gruyère cheese. Cover skillet and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour mix as a substitute to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Pounding chicken cutlets ensures even cooking and tenderness.
- Deglazing the pan with water helps lift browned bits for deeper flavor.
- Only about 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture is used to thicken the sauce; discard the rest.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
