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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
Love this recipe and have made for dinner several times. The leftovers are almost as good as the original. I want to make it this weekend for a larger crowd — 12 people. Any suggestions for how to do this? Not sure if I should use 2 cast iron skillets, my 7 quart dutch oven and toast/melt cheese on top after I transfer into a large casserole dish? Any suggestions here would be much appreciated!
Hi Alexandra,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe so often, I’m so glad it is always a hit. For best results, I would do 2 skillets:) Have the best week!
Do you cut chicken into thin cutlets or strips?
Hi Maggie,
I like to cut them into strips. Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it!
I’m cooking this tonight, sounds delicious. Can you substitute Cabernet instead of the white wine?
Hi MJ,
Thanks so much!! I would stick with a white wine for this dish:) I hope it turns out well for you!
Well this was really tasty just added a red onion with the 3 x white onions also didnt have cider so swapped to white wine ,no french bread so used flat breads ,no Swiss cheese s used mozzarella but for a Thursday night meal delish .Will certainly cook this again x🏴
Hey there,
Love to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and your feedback! Have a great Thursday!
This was Ah-mazing!! I actually cooked the sauce waaaaay longer than the recipe called for which made it taste SUPREME! The sauce was super thick and creamy. I didn’t have the french bread, so I served it with some roasted brussels sprouts and some cheesy roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Was a HUGE hit with my entire family! Thank you!
Hey Julie,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! XxT
Cooked WAY longer than the recipe called for but it was GREAT. served it with Tieghan’s mashed potatoes with gruyere and parmesan and roasted garlic and some roasted brussels sprouts on the side. Amazing!
Hey Julie,
Thank you so much for making this recipe! Sorry to hear it took longer than expected but so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
I’m making this for the 3rd time tonight. It’s so easy and yet tastes fantastic! Big hit around here. Thanks, Tieghan!
Hey Kathi,
Happy Friday! Thanks for making this dish and your comment, love to hear it turned out well for you! XxT
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I especially loved the addition of the bread. My only issue was that the chicken didn’t quite fit in the pan with the onions in step 4. In order to fit the chicken in, I had to place the onions on top of it. The problem was that the onions still needed those extra 10 minutes to properly caramelize while the chicken cooked. I used the recommended amount of chicken and a large cast iron pan, but maybe I missed something. To work around this, I removed the chicken and cooked it separately while continuing to stir the onions. Then, I added the chicken back in at step 6 before topping it with cheese. It turned out great—so flavorful!
Thanks so much, Ruby! So glad to hear this dish was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! XxT
LOVE this recipe. One of the best I’ve tried. Can’t wait to serve this to my family.
Hey Cynthia,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! Happy Sunday! XxT
I tried this recipe tonight and it was delicious. A few things I noticed from the pictures was that your onions are a lot more caramelized. Next time I will use the cast-iron and caramelize them darker. One thing I did add is a little bit of sugar because it was a little tart. Other than that, everything was wonderful thank you for this recipe.
Hi Antoinette,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for trying this dish and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! Have a beautiful Sunday! xx
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe, it looks amazing.
Wondering if you have any suggestions of what could be used in place of mushrooms? My husband won’t eat mushrooms (most unfortunately) and wondering if I should just omit them.
Thanks!
Thanks so much, Nicole! You can just omit the mushrooms, no big deal:) I hope you love this dish, let me know how it turns out! xT
The recipe and the YouTube short don’t line up. Not helpful.
Please clarify when you add the cream and wine and whether you should stir the chicken jn
I don’t know if I used too much onion or what but they certainly didn’t caramelize in 10 minutes.
Yeah there is no way onions are caramelized in 10 minutes.
You just have to caramelize the onions to your liking typically I do this for more like 15 to 20 minutes unload a medium heat. I prefer to use Vidalia onions or sweet onions of some sort.
Hi there,
You can follow the recipe as written and add the wine and cream in step 4. You do not need to stir the chicken. I hope you love this dish! xx
I’m so excited to try this! Do you serve it over anything? Some mashed potatoes? I have big boys at my house to feed!
Hi Michelle,
I usually serve with a salad, but this would definitely be great with mashed potatoes! I hope your family loves this dish! xT
This might be my favorite dinner I’ve ever made! I only used one onion because that’s all I had and way more cheese because YUM and it turned out great. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Natasha,
Lovely!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, I love to hear it was enjoyed! Happy New Year!🥳🥂
This was so yummy! I will definitely be making this again. Everyone loved it!
Hi Kim,
Awesome!! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, thank you so much for making it! xT