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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.
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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
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This was absolutely delicious!! Could have done without the bread on top honestly. Made it just like the recipe but I did add about 8 oz of dried wide egg noodles after the cream was added. I made sure to bake for at least 8 minutes to ensure the egg noodles were cooked. This will be one of my fave recipes!!
Hey Elisabeth,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for choosing to make this recipe, I am so glad it turned out nicely for you!
This recipe didn’t work for me. I doubled the recipe and couldn’t get the onions to caramelize after cooking them with the butter and apple cider for 30 minutes. I cooked the mushrooms, herbs, and garlic in a separate skillet before adding them to the onions to cook longer. I added boneless skinless chicken thighs and shredded the meat after the were cooked, which worked well. The flavors were good. Maybe this recipe just isn’t good for doubling.
Hi Laura,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. I would say doubling this recipe would call for an extra large skillet:)
Really enjoyed this dish! The only thing was I used Perdue thinly sliced chicken breast and it turned out a bit over done. But the sauce was wonderful! Served it over rice. Next time I think pounding a regular sized chicken breast might be better.
Hey Bobbie,
Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and taking the time to comment.
Have a great week!
Made this for dinner tonight. Delicious. Next time I would add a little flour to the butter/onions to thicken the sauce a bit.
Hey Ali,
Happy Monday! Thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and your comment!
This is a family favorite, even my kids that do like mushrooms love it. I have even made it twice in one week-it is that good.
Hey Elizabeth,
Love to hear this recipe is always enjoyed, thanks for making it for your family!
My husband said that this should be my go to potluck recipe. My whole family loved it.
Hey Lauren,
Yay! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! Happy Holidays!
This was so delicious!! Mine was a bit soupy, but I wasn’t mad at it and it soaked into the toasty bread so beautifully. We absolutely loved it! Don’t skimp on the thyme.
For next time, I might broil the bread and cheese separately and put it on top, just so the leftovers wouldn’t get soggy.
Hi Pam,
So kind of you to try this recipe and leave feedback—glad it was a hit!
I’m going to cut this recipe in half since it’s is just me and my husband. I have an induction cook top and can’t use cast iron. Or can I cook the whole recipe on my stove top then place the crusty bread on. Tell me what you think. The recipe sounds really good and anxious to try.
Thanks so much, Karen! Sure, I think you could do this all on the stove top and place the crusty bread on top. I hope you love this recipe!