Description
Delicious French Onion Chicken features tender chicken cutlets topped with caramelized onions, rich Gruyère cheese, and a savory sauce, creating a classic French-inspired main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets (16 to 20 ounces total)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for seasoning)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Onions and Sauce
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (for onions)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Flour Mixture
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour mix
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Topping
- 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to brown around edges. Reduce heat to medium-low, add balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes until onions are very tender, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze as needed. Set aside and wipe the skillet clean.
- Prepare Chicken: If chicken cutlets are uneven in thickness, place between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer or heavy pan until uniformly thin but intact. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Make Flour Mixture: In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. This will be used for dredging chicken and thickening the sauce.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 teaspoon of unsalted butter in the cleaned large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dredge two chicken cutlets in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, and place side by side in the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes until lightly browned, then flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. Remove cooked chicken to a dish. Repeat the process with the remaining 1 teaspoon butter and the other two cutlets.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same skillet, combine chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture. Whisk over low heat for 1 minute until sauce thickens, discarding the remaining flour mixture.
- Combine and Melt Cheese: Return all cooked chicken cutlets to the skillet. Top each piece with caramelized onions and grated Gruyère cheese. Cover the skillet and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Use gluten-free flour to make this recipe gluten-free if preferred.
- Only about 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture is used to thicken the sauce; discard the rest.
- Water is added during onion caramelization to deglaze the pan and prevent burning.
- Pounding the chicken helps it cook evenly and remain tender.
- Gruyère cheese adds a nutty, creamy melt that complements the onions perfectly; substitute with Swiss cheese if unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
