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Simple, cheesy, baked French Onion Smothered Chicken with cheesy Gruyère toast. Make this when you’re craving a slow-cooked French onion soup but need something quick and all made in one skillet. The chicken is “smothered” in a creamy caramelized onion sauce and then topped with melted Gruyère toast and fresh thyme just before serving. Such a cozy one-skillet dinner with delicious, comforting flavors.
One of my family’s favorite dinners is chicken smothered in sauce. I’ve made a few variations over the years, the first being this yummy Balsamic Chicken Marsala and last year’s Smothered Chicken with Crispy Prosciutto. I make something similar to both of these at least once every couple of weeks because everyone in my family enjoys the meal so much.
They love a creamy wine sauce with chicken and herbs. They’re even happier if there is crispy prosciutto involved, which I honestly planned to use on this dish but forgot.
Whoops. Add some crispy prosciutto if you like!
I’ve always loved French onion soup. My mom says she hates onions, which she does, but she’ll happily eat a bowl of French onion soup. She’ll eat the toast and cheese, sip the broth, and leave all the onions at the bottom.
I knew something with chicken would make everyone happy. Plus, this dish can be on the table in less than an hour and is all made in one skillet. Great for this busy time of year!
This turned out to be a really big hit with everyone. Especially my brothers, who, unlike my mom, LOVE onions, especially when they’re caramelized!
These are the details
Ingredients
- thin-cut chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper
- salted butter
- yellow onions
- apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
- garlic
- fresh thyme and sage
- dry white wine
- broth
- heavy cream
- French bread
- shredded Gruyère cheese
Special Tools
Nothing fancy, just an oven-safe skillet—I highly recommend cast iron. Holiday tip—and yes, this is random, but a cast iron skillet is a great gift for almost anyone!
Step 1: season the chicken
This is basic: simply salt and pepper the chicken. I like to use thinly sliced chicken breasts or cutlets. Unlike an overly thick chicken breast, they always cook quickly and evenly.
Step 2: start cooking the onions
I like to use yellow onions and very thinly slice them. Personally, I find the bite of an overly thick onion much too intense. Thin slices are the way to go.
Melt the butter and onions in a big skillet. Start cooking and breaking them down. Then, add the apple cider. I like to use apple cider to help the onions caramelize easily while also adding those sweet flavors. The pairing is so yummy with the onions.
Step 3: add the mushroom and herbs
Now, you can mix in the slices of mushrooms, the garlic, the thyme, and the sage. Let the mix cook, then toss in the chicken.
Step 4: the wine, the broth, and the cream
Mix in the wine and then broth. Simmer until the sauce thickens up a bit. Then mix in the cream.
Step 5: toast the bread
While the sauce simmers, dry the French bread by toasting it in the oven for a few minutes. Drying the bread may sound odd, but using dry bread will prevent it from immediately soaking up all that delicious onion sauce.
Arrange the dry bread around the chicken and start piling on the Gruyère cheese. If Gruyère cheese is too expensive, use a melty cheddar, fontina, gouda, or mozzarella.
It’s so cozy and scrumptious on a cold night.
Pair it with a salad like my Harvest Salad or Sweet Potato Salad. Either is so great and will complete the meal. Together with this French Onion Smothered Chicken, you’ll have the perfect holiday dinner! Your guests will love this fun twist on French onion soup!
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Baked Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Chowder
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Lastly, if you make this French Onion Smothered Chicken, 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!
French Onion Smothered Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 665 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds thin cut chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 cup broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 slices french bread
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.2. 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 the apple cider, 1/4 cup at a time, until the cider cooks into the onions. 3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Cook another 3-4 minutes. 4. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized. Add the the wine and broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced. Stir in the cream.5. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until very dry. 6. Place the bread on/around the chicken. Top evenly with cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with thyme. Serve and enjoy! YUM!
This post was originally published on November 18, 2024
So so good!
Thanks so much, Jocelin!!
I love the one skillet dinners. This was full of flavor and so much fun to make on a chilly evening!
Hey Liz,
Awesome!! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xxT
This was so delicious!! My family said it was restaurant quality which is high praise. It was so simple too. Will be making this often!
Hi Jen,
Wonderful!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it and your feedback! Happy Holidays! XxT
I made this for my husband and young adult son, and they loved it. It will be another HBH recipe in our rotation. I made two minor changes: I halved the mushroom measurement and used more of the chicken broth in place of the wine. I have a gluten allergy, so I always cook gluten free which means I used GF French bread. Delicious!
Thanks so much, Leslie:) I am so glad to hear your family loved this recipe, I appreciate you making it and sharing what worked well for you! Happy Monday! xT
So, so good! Absolutely will make this again and again! Yum!
Thanks so much, Kimberly! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xx
Absolutely Delicious! It’s a gourmet meal that’s accessible and would definitely be on the menu of a French restaurant. Merci! Thanks T
Hi Christopher,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:) xxT
Best meal I’ve ever made. Seriously amazing.
Hi Mari,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well! Happy December:) xT
Tiegs! Another banger. So good.
Hey Mike,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! XxT
Delicious! Used white mushrooms because that’s what I had at home and half of the cream. Turned out great
Hey Phyllis,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! XxT
I need to make this for 12 people… what / how can I using a large roaster rather than iron skillet due to amount I want to make? Looks AMAZING
Hi Tracy,
For best results, I would do 2 skillets for this recipe. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Wow! This is amazing! Great dish you could make to impress guests but without all the fuss and time. I found 1.5lbs of thin chicken cutlets equated to 4 cutlets so next time I will be sure I have six pieces of chicken to equal the six suggested servings. This is a keeper!
Thanks so much, Rebecca!! I am so glad to hear this dish was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Have a great Tuesday! xx
Hello I see your recipe great. Have u made with dark meat ? Thighs or drumsticks ?
Hi Caren,
So sorry, I haven’t. I’m sure that would work well for you, just increase your cook time for the chicken. I hope you love this recipe! xx
Made it for my family last night. There were no leftovers it was that good!
Hi Deborah,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment! Happy Thanksgiving! XxT
This was absolutely delicious! Didn’t change a thing and everyone raved about it. My husband asked me to make sure to save the recipe. I reminded him that I asked Santa for the cookbook. I’m SURE Santa won’t forget now!
Hey Angie,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment! Happy Thanksgiving! XxT
OMG!! I am so full! This was so delicious. My husband and I enjoyed it so much. Will make this many times.
Thanks so much, Pam! I love to hear you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you making it! Happy Thanksgiving! xx