Chicken thighs seared in a cast iron skillet and smothered with caramelized onions - this French Onion Chicken recipe is a great weeknight dinner! If you love French Onion Soup, you'll love this dish.
Who says a simple weeknight meal can't have a gourmet flair?
I've found that most recipes I make that feel like a fine-dining experience are usually those that have the simplest ingredients. It doesn't take a lot of intricacy or complicated steps to make a meal delicious! And, every once in awhile, I like to get creative in the kitchen on an everyday weeknight with the ingredients I have on hand.
I made this recipe for French Onion Chicken a couple of nights ago and everyone in our home went nuts for it. If you haven't used chicken thighs in cooking lately, you have to try them out - they have so much more flavor and texture than your standard boneless chicken breast and typically cost about the same. They're super easy to pair with just about any flavor and don't require a lot of babysitting while cooking. They're perfect for an easy meal with a little wow factor!
Let's take a look at how I made the chicken thighs.
How to Make French Onion Chicken
Supplies Needed
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Stove
- Oven
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients Needed
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 3-4 medium onions sliced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp dried parsley
Step 1
In a cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
Step 2
Add 3-4 medium sliced onions to skillet. Toss lightly to cover the onions in butter. Brown onions for 3-4 minutes, just until ends start to crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and stir well. Cook onions for 10-15 minutes longer, until caramelization begins and onions cook down some. Remove onions and set aside.
Step 3
Add an additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and allow to melt. On a large plate, toss together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley with a fork. Dredge chicken thighs in the flour mixture and cook in skillet for 3-5 minutes per side, until brown and crispy.
Chicken doesn't need to be cooked all the way through at this step. Cook 2-3 chicken thighs at a time.
Step 4
Once chicken is cooked, cover the bottom of the skillet with chicken thighs. Add half of the onions over the top. Add remaining chicken thighs and cover with the second half of the onions.
Step 5
Bake in the oven (covered with foil) at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sizzling.
What to Serve with French Onion Chicken
A starchy side and a veggie would round out this meal beautifully. A few ideas...
Starchy Side Dishes
Veggie Side Dishes
Variations and Additions
This is a super versatile recipe. You can tweak it a little bit to fit your flavor profile.
- Add cheese to truly make it favor a French Onion Soup. Sprinkle with shredded gruyere cheese, provolone, mozzarella, or Swiss cheese over the top of the chicken thighs, covering the pan for 3-4 minutes to get that gooey, melty cheese.
- You don't have to go with chicken thighs...use the meat you have! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, steak, or pork chops.
- Make this a French onion chicken casserole by cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces and tossing in that yummy caramelized onion gravy. Top with a cheese of your choice and bake as directed.
- Give it a little bit of a crunch by tossing in ½ cup of crispy fried onions right before serving.
Leftover Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days after baking. You'll definitely want to transfer out of the cast iron skillet - a glass dish works perfectly. Reheat servings in the microwave for about a minute.
Freezing
You can freeze this dish! Just place cooked chicken and onions in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to serve, simply thaw in the fridge.
French Onion Chicken Thighs
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter divided
- 3-4 medium onions sliced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
- Add sliced onions to skillet. Toss lightly to cover in butter. Brown onions for 3-4 minutes, until ends start to crisp.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add sugar and salt and stir well. Cook onions for 10-15 minutes longer, until caramelization begins and onions cook down some. Remove onions and set aside.
- Add additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and allow to melt. On a large plate, toss together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley with a fork. Dredge chicken thighs in the flour mixture and cook in skillet for 3-5 minutes per side, until brown and crispy. Chicken doesn't need to be cooked all the way through at this step. Cook 2-3 chicken thighs at a time.
- Once chicken is cooked, cover the bottom of the skillet with chicken thighs. Add half of the onions over the top. Add remaining chicken thighs and cover with the second half of the onions.
- Bake (covered with foil) at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sizzling. Serve with Alexia Premium sides (Butternut Squash Risotto with Parmesan and Sea Salt and Riced Cauliflower with Aged White Cheddar and Cracked Black Pepper).
