French Onion Chicken Skillet is a delicious one-pan meal consisting of juicy chicken breasts nestled in rich and thick onion gravy, topped with melted cheese!
2onionsYellow or white onions sliced into thin rounds
1teaspoongranulated sugar
½teaspooncoarse sea salt
2-3sprigs fresh thymeremoved from stems (plus more for garnish)
1bay leaf
1-2clovesof garlicminced
4bonelessskinless chicken breasts (6 oz. each)
½teaspoonblack pepper
1tablespoonsall-purpose flour
½cupdry white winelike a sauvignon blanc, optional
1cupbeef stock
¼poundprovolone cheesegrated (about 1 cup)
¼poundswiss cheesegrated (about 1 cup)
Instructions
In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, combine olive oil, butter, and sliced onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, until onions become soft (approximately 10 minutes).
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt over the onions. Add fresh thyme and bay leaf to pan. Continue sautéing over medium heat to medium low heat until onions become deep golden brown. Stir every few minutes to prevent onions from burning. If color becomes too dark on some of the onions while still cooking, add a splash of white wine or beef broth to the pan and stir. This process of caramelizing the onions should take about 15-20 minutes longer after adding the sugar, salt, thyme, and bay leaf. In the final minute or two of cooking, add minced garlic and saute for just a couple minutes; do not burn the garlic.
While onions are cooking, prepare the chicken. Remove from packaging and pat with a paper towel to make sure they are completely dry. Use a meat mallet to pound out chicken to an even ½-¾” thick. Sprinkle with pepper on both sides.
Remove caramelized onions from the skillet using a slotted spoon (keep as much butter/oil in the pan as possible.
Without wiping out skillet, turn the heat to medium to medium-high and add chicken. Sear on each side until browned (about 3-4 minutes on each side).
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and set aside momentarily.
Place onions back into skillet and return to medium heat. Sprinkle with flour and sauté for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour.
Add wine to onion mixture and simmer/stir for 2-3 minutes while the alcohol evaporates and the browned bits on the bottom of the pan loosen. If you are not using wine, proceed with step 10.
Add beef broth to the onions and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and a deep brown gravy forms.
Nestle the browned chicken breasts down into the onion gravy and spoon some of the sauce up over the chicken. Top each chicken breast with a ¼ of each of the cheeses.
Transfer skillet to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the meat registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove from oven. Spoon onions and sauce over the chicken and serve. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Notes
If you choose to keep the wine in this recipe, the best type would be a dry wine such as a Marsala or Sauvignon Blanc.
Caramelizing your onions does require some patience on your part since they need to be cooked over medium or medium-low heat and stirred more frequently as time goes on. Your onions will caramelize the fastest during the last 5 minutes of cooking which is when you’ll need to reduce the heat to the low setting, stirring frequently. If your onions start browning unevenly or suddenly, add a splash of wine or broth to keep them moist and cooking evenly. The sugar also helps with the caramelization process.
The Internal temperature of the chicken should register 165°F for you to know that the chicken is cooked. Allow the chicken breasts to rest for a few minutes after cooking to ensure that the meat retains the flavorful juices.
Did you know that the alcohol content in wine evaporates during the cooking process, leaving behind only the rich taste! This dish is 100% safe to serve to children but I always recommend that you check with friends and family before serving anyone home cooked food that includes alcohol.