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Simple, cheesy, Baked French Onion Meatballs. For those cold fall and winter nights when you want a fancy slow-cooked french onion soup…but you want something hearty too! Made easily with oven-baked chicken meatballs, white wine, caramelized onions, herbs, and that classic cheesy french bread topping. This dish is warm, flavorful, comforting, and so delicious. Equally great for a simple family dinner or holiday entertaining.
Happy November everyone! My original plan was to share our 2021 Thanksgiving menu today, but I need a couple more days to put the finishing touches on the post. Very excited to share, but honestly?
I’m equally excited to share these delicious french onion style meatballs. If I had to choose the recipe for you to all be making this week, tonight even, it would be these meatballs. Perfect dinner to welcome in the chilly month of November.
When I made these meatballs before heading to Los Angelas the other week, my oldest brother, Creighton, was in town. And while I feed him a lot of meals when he’s here, he declared these meatballs his favorite. He LOVED them, so I think it’s safe to say this is a very good recipe.
The process is simple, here are the steps
Start with the bread. I mentioned this last month, but when my grandma made meatloaf or meatballs, she used to wet the bread first. She’d then ring out the excess water and tear the bread into super fine pieces. This is the key to a juicy, non-dry meatball.
Add the bread to a large bowl along with ground chicken or ground beef, a large egg, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the mixture together, and you’re ready to roll your meatballs.
Then bake! I love baking meatballs. It’s so much easier and cleaner, not to mention healthier, than frying them up in a skillet.
While the meatballs are cooking, caramelize the onions
Start with sweet onions, butter, and dry white wine.
I use a dry white wine, which is pretty traditional in most French onion soups. You’ll cook about half of the wine into the onions. Not only does this help the onions to caramelize quickly and evenly, it also infuses the onions with incredibly rich flavor.
It’s delish.
If you prefer not to cook with wine, I recommend using about half a cup of apple cider or apple juice to caramelize the onions. For the remaining amount of wine (another half cup), use chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
When the onions are caramelized, add the mushrooms and let those cook a minute. Then add in the broth.
Now, grab the meatballs and add them to the sauce. Simmer a bit until cooked throughout.
Finish it up
When you’re ready, switch the oven to broil.
Top the skillet full of meatballs with crusty french bread, and a layer of cheese. Then place under the broiler to melt. Watch closely, the broiler works fast.
Then simply pull out of the oven and experience the bubbling cheese and the delicious flavors of a truly good bowl of French onion soup…with the addition of yummy meatballs.
This is truly one of those roll your eyes back, crave-worthy, fall-winter comfort foods.
My favorite way to serve these meatballs is with a side salad. You could add pasta or mashed potatoes, but they’re also not needed.
Perfect dinner, right? I’m excited t have this one in my back pocket for the upcoming holiday season. I already know it’s going to be a go-to recipe once my family arrives and the craziness begins in a few weeks! Thanksgiving is so soon!
Looking for other meatball recipes?? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Coq au Vin Chicken Meatballs
Simple Baked Cheesy Italian Chicken Meatballs
Weeknight 30 Minute Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs
Lastly, if you make these , be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Baked French Onion Meatballs
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 689 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
- 1 slice soft whole grain bread
- 1 egg, beaten
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 3-4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups cremini or wild mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup whole milk, cream, or canned coconut milk
- 6 slices french bread
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with olive oil.2. Take the bread and run it under water until dampened but not soaked. Gently squeeze the excess water out of the bread and then crumble the dampened bread into pieces.3. In a bowl, combine the chicken, bread crumbles, egg, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Coat your hands with olive oil, then roll the meat into balls about the size of 2 tablespoons, and place them into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp on the outside, but not yet cooked through on the inside.4. Meanwhile, melt together the butter and onions in a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. At this point, you'll want to slowly add 3/4 cup of the wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the wine cooks into the onions. Continue to cook another 10-15 minutes until you've used all of the 3/4 cup of wine and the onions are deeply caramelized. 5. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Season with salt and pepper, cook another 3-4 minutes. Add the the broth and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a low boil. Add the meatballs and simmer 10 minutes, until cooked through. Stir in the cream.6. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until very dry. Switch the oven to broil. Place the bread on/around the meatballs. Top evenly with cheese. Broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with fresh thyme. Eat!
This post was originally published on November 1, 2021
Not a mushroom fan. Substitute?
Thank you!
I personally left out the shrooms altogether. I figured that it was a personal preference. I didn’t add any substitutes but I suppose you could probably substitute a fresh vegetable such as broccoli or asparagus or something.
In her IG stories yesterday, she said you could leave the mushrooms out. That’s what I’m going to do when I make this, as I don’t like mushrooms either.
Hi Kat! I would omit them completely, or add in your fave veggie! xTieghan
I made this today and oh my! It was so delish!
Hi there! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! ? xTieghan
The flavors in the sauce were very full bodied however was disappointed that the chicken meatballs had very little flavor at all and did not brown in the oven. I had to take them out and do a quick sear on the stove top for color. I mistakenly assumed the meatballs would absorb the flavor from the sauce which they did not.
Hi Suzanne, I’m so sorry about that! Is there anything you did differently in this recipe? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
I don’t know what my problem is, but even though I’ve mastered WAY more complicated skills, I have never been able to caramelize onions! They always end up burning or just being overcooked and not sweet and melty. Really bums me out! I’ve followed recipes to the letter, lowered my flame, you name it. Any foolproof tips??
Low and slow is the trick. It takes approx 20 minutes
What Chris said is pretty accurate. It can take forever. However I’ve cheated at times when making other meals and simply added a little sugar part way through while cooking the onion. Though it’s not actually carmelizing it, it still acts as if it is.
Hey there! Hmmm, maybe add more liquid in when you’re cooking and make sure your flame is low? xTieghan
This looks amazing! Could I sub almond milk for the cream?
Yes, definitely! xTieghan
Top notch on a cool night. A bit time consuming but worth it in flavor. Husband said he would rather have more broth to make it more like soup but I loved it just the way it was. Used sour cream instead of milk. Winner!!!
Hi there! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
I’d love to try this recipe! Do you know of a good egg substitute for this recipe? Since it’s not baked goods i’m not quite sure what to substitute.
I’m going to use Just Egg. I’ve found it to be the best egg substitute.
Ricotta cheese or buttermilk are great substitutes for eggs in meatballs! xTieghan
Amazing!
I had to make a few changes based on what was in my pantry, and it was delicious! I’m sure it would be even better if I had all the ingredients My husband said this was different than most French Onion Soups he’s had, but by far the best! I” make it again!
Hi Anne! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
Excellent recipe!!!!
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! ? xTieghan
Can you substitute beef for the chicken?
Made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband who doesn’t really care for French onion soup really loved this. It’s also much quicker than when I’ve made French onion soup in the past. Thank you for this wonderful recipe-your recipes never fail!
Hi there! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I hope you loved it! xTieghan
Ahhhh this looks delicious..will make this when I get the chance.
On another note, in your 9 favourite things post last week you mentioned something really exciting was on it’s way and you turn up either last Monday or Tuesday. Nothing ever turned up apart from you incredibly delicious recipes. May I ask why?
I’ve been wondering this too!!
I’ve been wondering this too!
Hey Missy! It got push back! Hoping to share soon, just waiting for the everything to be ready. I am so sorry for the delay! xx
I’d say the milk is added with the broth. The broth in the pictures looks creamy.
The cream/milk is added in step 5.
Hi there! Yes, it’s added in step 5! xTieghan
We have an egg allergy to accommodate. Can I skip it in the meatloaf mixture or can you recommend a good substitute? I tend not to make meatballs/meatloaf because of this.
Hi there! You could use 1/4 cup ricotta cheese per egg, or 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt per egg! xTieghan
This sounds delicious but I second the question about the milk, when does that get added? Also, if we don’t want to add bread is there a substitute or is it possible to omit without the meatballs falling apart? Thank you!
Hi there! Those are added in step 5! xTieghan
When does the milk/ cream/ coconut milk get added? With the broth? It’s in the ingredient list but not the instructions.
Step 5…. Read the instructions
Can I sub in ground beef for the chicken in equal parts? I’m also curious why ground chicken is your go to? ? Thank you for another great sounding recipe!
Hi there! Those are added in step 4 of the recipe! xTieghan
My apologies, I meant to type step 5!
Is it ok to skip the mushrooms?
Yes, you can omit them! xTieghan