This incredibly flavorful French Onion Chicken starts with perfectly seared, tender chicken breasts smothered in a savory pan sauce with sweet caramelized onions and topped with gooey melted cheese.

❤️ Why You’ll Love this French Onion Chicken Recipe

• Classic French onion soup flavor
• Tender juicy chicken smothered with perfectly caramelized onions
• Baked with gooey melted Gruyere cheese on top
• Easy to make with minimal prep work
• Perfect easy weeknight dinner

This crowd pleasing, restaurant-quality meal is easier to make than you think. With this recipe, all those same delicious and classic flavors of French onion soup are turned into in a protein packed one pan skillet meal with just a few easy steps.

The combination of flavors and textures are simply incredible. A natural sweetness from the golden, caramelized onions is perfectly balanced with the richness of melted gruyere cheese and pan sauce that makes this a warm and hearty comfort food at its best.

On top of having the most mouth-watering flavors, the one-pan cooking method makes clean up a cinch. For other one-skillet chicken recipes, you should also try this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet and this Chicken Florentine Skillet.

🛒 What’s in French Onion Chicken

• Chicken
• Onions
• Gruyere cheese
• Chicken broth
• White wine
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Parsley
• Dried thyme
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Xanthan gum

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Large oven-safe skillet
• Whisk

🔪 How to Make French Onion Chicken

Heat a large oven-safe skillet to medium and add half the olive oil and butter.  Once the butter has melted, add in the chicken, thyme, half the salt and pepper.

Sauté for a few minutes on each side or until almost cooked through. 

Remove and set aside on a plate, covered.

Add in the remaining olive oil, butter, onions and the remaining salt. 

Sauté until the onions have caramelized and have some good color.  This should take about 10 minutes or so.

Tip: Don’t rush this step. You want the onions to slowly caramelize to deepen their flavor, rather than simply frying them.

Tip: These are caramelized enough for this recipe. But to fully and truly caramelize them, they can take around 45 minutes or so. You can also add in some balsamic vinegar.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits of flavor.  Simmer for 30 seconds, then stir in the chicken broth and parsley. 

Tip: If you don’t want to use wine, you can use more chicken broth instead.

Whisk in the xanthan gum and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until reduced slightly. 

Add the chicken back in, spoon some of the onions over each piece of chicken and top with the Gruyere cheese.

Tip: If you don’t have Gruyere, you can use Swiss, provolone or mozzarella cheese. But honestly, the Gruyere has the best flavor for this recipe.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden, then serve.

Why is it Called French Onion Soup?

The origins of classic French onion soup dates back centuries and has been made throughout different regions of Europe. It was most likely created out of necessity, because they were such and inexpensive crop to grow and because they store well.

There is another popular and possible myth that link the soups origins to a French king. As the story goes, the King Louis XV returned to his remote hunting lodge after a long day of hunting only to find a cupboard mostly bare. He had onions, butter, stale bread and a bottle of champagne to work with, so he made this simple soup.

Are Onions Keto?

Onions are perfectly fine for those following Keto or other low carb diet. As long as you eat them in moderation, they’re an easy way to add lots of flavor to many recipes.

For an entire average sized onion, there are just over 11 net carbs, but you’ll likely never entire onion in one sitting.

What is the Secret to Juicy Chicken?

The number one key to cooking juicy chicken is to make sure you don’t overcook it. This is especially the case with chicken breasts. Invest in an inexpensive instant read meat thermometer and test the chicken for doneness bases on temperature not time.

Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of about 165°F.

Resting the chicken is another important key to cooking juicy chicken. Make sure you always allow cooked chicken about 10 minutes to rest before you slice it.   

What Goes Well with French Onion Chicken?

The cheese makes this a rather decadent dish, so you’ll want to serve it with simple Keto side dishes like this Easy Mashed Cauliflower or an easy green veggie, a side salad or these Green Beans Almondine, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts and Grilled Broccolini.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs to Make French Onion Chicken?

You certainly can. Keep in mind that the cooking time may vary so be sure and use your meat thermometer to gauge when they are done.

More Keto Chicken Recipes

• Thai Red Curry Coconut Grilled Chicken
• Grilled Chicken with Rosemary Citrus Glaze
• Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
• Creamy Chicken Tuscan Skillet
• Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole
• Chicken Florentine Skillet
• Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
• Creamy Chicken Poblano Chicken