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french onion baked chicken breasts in a pan with caramelized onions.

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4 from 3 reviews

French Onion Baked Chicken Breasts

Recipe by Danielle

These French Onion Baked Chicken Breasts will blow your mind with all the flavors of the incredible soup, but less hassle! Impress the whole family with super juicy, golden-brown chicken smothered in caramelized onion sauce!

  • Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield3-4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each
  • kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced 
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ~1 cup shredded Gruyère and/or Swiss cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts (3-4 boneless skinless, about 8 ounces each) dry with a paper towel and then season well on both sides with fresh ground black pepper and salt. Warm the olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides (about 4-5 minutes on each side), then remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate. They will not yet be fully cooked at this point.
  2. Cook the onions: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter (3 tablespoons) to the same pan. Once it has melted and started to froth, add the onions (2 large, thinly sliced) and thyme sprigs (3) along with a very generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes until the onions are soft and slightly golden. Remove the sprigs of thyme from the pan when the onions are done. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
  3. Make the sauce: Add the garlic (3 cloves, minced) and stir, cooking for another minute or so until fragrant. Stir in the flour (1 1/2 tablespoons) and cook for an additional minute to cook the raw flour taste out of the sauce. Stir in the white wine (1/4 cup) and cook for 2-3 minutes until the smell of alcohol has dissipated. Stir in the broth (1 cup) and Worcestershire sauce (1/2 teaspoon) until you have a well mixed and slightly thickened onion sauce. 
  4. Bake the chicken: Nestle the chicken in the onion sauce and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken breasts) until the chicken is cooked through and reached an internal temperature of 165F. Add the shredded cheese (~1 cup) during the last 5 minutes of baking (optional). 
  5. Serve & store: Let the chicken cool in the sauce for at least 5 minutes before digging in. Serve the chicken sliced and smothered in the onion sauce. Enjoy with cooked rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta of choice, plus greens or roasted veggies. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 4 days.

Equipment

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Notes

Chicken options: Skin-on chicken breasts – Be sure to crisp up the skin during step 1, and place the chicken skin side up when returning to the onion sauce for baking. Baking time will be more like 20-25 minutes. Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs – bake for 35-40 minutes instead of 15-20, and add an extra 1/4 cup of chicken broth to the pan to stop too much liquid evaporating from the onions.

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal, not including cheese.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Stovetop & Baked
  • Cuisine: French-inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
  • Calories: 358
  • Fat: 19g
  • Carbohydrates: 5g
  • Protein: 37g

Find it online: https://staging.projectmealplan.com/french-onion-baked-chicken-breasts/