French Onion Chicken is a delicious skillet chicken dinner recipe that is topped with a sweet and savory, saucy onion jam and then finished with melted cheese. If you love onions, then this recipe is definitely for you!
If you love this onion chicken, then definitely check out this recipe for Bacon Jam Burgers! It has a similar flavor profile.
Onion Jam
The delicious onion sauce that tops these chicken breasts is similar to what I would consider an onion jam. Not jam, as in jelly, but a savory jam like bacon jam.
The brown sugar gives it a little sweetness, which is balanced with the tartness of the balsamic vinegar and the salty earthiness of the worcestershire sauce.
Cheese
The recipe calls for mozzarella or smoked provolone, but use whatever “meltable” cheese you like! You could use:
- smoked mozzarella
- smoked gouda
- gruyere
- parmesan
- havarti
- swiss
How to Make This French Onion Chicken Recipe
Start by cutting your 2-3 chicken breasts lengthwise, so that you end up with 4-6 thinner breasts. If you buy thin chicken breasts then go ahead and buy 4-6 and skip this step.
Season each side of the chicken with a little salt and pepper.
In a skillet over medium heat cook the chicken in 1 tbsp olive oil until cooked through to 165 degrees internal temp. Then set aside.
In the now empty pan add 2 tbsp olive oil and lower the heat to medium low. Add the onions and slowly saute until they are browned/carmelized. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
TIP: Let the onions sit for about 5 minutes at time before stirring. This gives them a chance to caramelize on each side.
Stir in the water, brown sugar, balsamic, worcestershire, and salt. Simmer over medium low heat until it starts to thicken. This will be about 5 minutes.
Sliced Onions 
Carmalized Onions 
Onions with Sauce
Scrape the onion mixture to one side of the pan and add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Top each chicken breast with the onion mixture. Then sprinkle on the cheese. Pop the lid on the pan until the cheese is melted.
TIP: If your pan does not have a lid just tent some foil over top. Or if the pan is oven safe you could pop it under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
Serving
Serve this delicious French Onion Chicken with some roasted potatoes or rice pilaf and a green veggies, like oven roasted asparagus.
Not Like Soup- Disclaimer
I do not want you to make this recipe thinking that it is going to taste like French Onion Soup. Which I am a HUGE fan of by the way! It is better described as a sweet and savory onion chicken dish.
French Onion Chicken Recipe
French Onion Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2-3 fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise so you have 4-6 thinner breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 3 cups yellow onion thinly sliced – about 2 medium sized onions
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp worcestershire
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup mozzarella or smoked provolone cheese shredded – see notes about cheese
Instructions
- In a pan (preferably with a lid) over medium heat add 1 tbsp olive oil, cook chicken until it is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Until chicken reaches 165 degrees internal temp.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pan add 2 tbsp olive oil, over medium low heat, slowly cook the onions until they begin to brown, this will take about 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the 3 tbsp water, 3 chopped garlic cloves, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp salt. Optionally add a little cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat.Simmer for about 5 minutes over medium low heat. It should thicken slightly as it simmers.
- Turn the heat to low, scrape the onion mixture to one side of the pan. Add the chicken breasts back to the pan and then top them with the onion mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Pop the lid on the pan and let the cheese melt. If you don't have a lid you can tent some foil over the pan. Or if the pan is oven safe you can broil until the cheese is melted.
Notes:
- smoked mozzarella
- smoked gouda
- gruyere
- parmesan
- havarti
- swiss
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
JOHN says
This chicken is like walking into flavor country! Love, love, love this chicken recipe!!