This French Onion Chicken Bake is a great way to enjoy the flavors of French Onion Soup with ease. Enjoy perfectly seasoned chicken cutlets covered in caramelized onions and cheese.
🤎 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy dinner idea. This is a super versatile dinner dish that's straightforward and simple to make.
- Pack big flavor into your meal. Those who love big flavors - this one's for you. If you love that bold, rich flavor of French onion soup, you're going to love this!
- Change up the same old boring chicken. This is a unique casserole idea that even the pickiest eaters will love!
🍗 Ingredients & Variations
For Chicken Cutlets
- 1 tablespoon of butter - If you don't have butter on hand, olive oil also works.
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts - I like to get the thinly sliced chicken breasts for this recipe. You can very easily use chicken thighs for this recipe too; they add some flavor and make the dish even richer.
- 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, pepper
For French Onion Sauce
- 2-3 medium onions - I prefer using yellow sweet onions to complement the French onion sauce. Think onions about the size of your fist; that's what you want for this recipe. You'll slice these thinly (less than ⅛" thick) before caramelizing.
- 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt - We'll use these two to help us caramelize the onions quickly. Don't worry, it's not difficult!
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 10.5oz can French Onion Soup - This is the secret to the sauce! There's no need to buy a bunch of ingredients when this is readily available and the exact flavor we're looking for.
- 1 teaspoon each of thyme, rosemary, and dried parsley
- 6oz shredded gruyere cheese - Gruyere is the traditional topping for French onion soup, but it can be a little greasy. If you'd like to go a little lighter, go with gouda, mozzarella, provolone, or Swiss cheese.
Recipe Additions
- Just before serving, add a sprinkle of French-fried onions over the top of the casserole to give it a little bit of a crunch.
- Add a layer of cooked white rice to the bottom of the baking dish before layering the other ingredients to make this French Onion Bake a full meal.
- This casserole is great with pork chops instead of chicken!
👨🍳 How to Make French Onion Chicken Bake
- BROWN CHICKEN. Season cutlets on each side with ½ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Melt about a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted and bubbly, add cutlets and brown on each side for 3-4 minutes (they might not be cooked through; that's ok).
- Remove cutlets from the pan and set aside.
- CARAMELIZE ONIONS. In the same skillet, melt 4 tablespoons (about half of a stick) of butter. Once butter is bubbling, add 2 thinly sliced onions.
- Cook onions over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until slightly browned. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.
- Add a tablespoon of water to the cooking onions. Once the liquid is gone from that tablespoon, add another tablespoon of water until the onions are browned and soft.
- MAKE FRENCH ONION SAUCE. Turn the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of flour; cook the flour for about a minute, gently stirring the onions. Add 1 10.5oz can of French Onion soup to the skillet. Stir until the soup is blended into the flour and onions. Season with 1 teaspoon each of thyme, parsley, and rosemary.
- ASSEMBLE. Add chicken breasts back to the sauce, coating the meat. (If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the contents of the skillet to a baking dish.) Sprinkle the chicken breasts with gruyere cheese.
- BAKE. Bake the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned.
🎥 Step-by-Step Recipe Video
🍽️ 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
- Mashed Potatoes
- Crispy Air Fried Potatoes
- Mashed Cauliflower
- White Rice
- Instapot Mac and Cheese
- Corn Casserole
Veggie Side Dishes
🥡 Leftover Storage & Reheating Tips
If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days after baking. Reheat servings in the microwave for about a minute.
Can I freeze this casserole?
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.
💡 More Helpful Tips & Tricks
- If there are browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet after cooking the chicken, make sure to scrape them up as the onions cook. Those will add a ton of flavor to your sauce.
- I prefer to make this dish in an oven-safe skillet so you can go right from stove to oven. If you don't have one, make sure to transfer the chicken bake to a baking dish before it goes into the oven.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
I hope you love this easy, flavorful weeknight dinner idea! If you give it a try, I'd love for you to leave a rating or comment below.
French Onion Chicken Bake
This French Onion Chicken Bake is a great way to enjoy the flavors of French Onion Soup with ease. Enjoy perfectly seasoned chicken cutlets covered in caramelized onions and cheese.
Affiliate links used in this recipe card.
Ingredients
For Chicken Cutlets
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced thin)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For French Onion Sauce
- 2-3 medium onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 10.5 oz French Onion Soup (1 can)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 6 oz shredded Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with ½ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, melt about a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Once melted and bubbly, add the cutlets and brown on each side for 3-4 minutes (they might not be fully cooked; that's fine). Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet used to cook the chicken, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 thinly sliced onions and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until slightly browned. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Add a tablespoon of water to the onions. Once the liquid evaporates, add another tablespoon of water, repeating until the onions are browned and soft.
- Lower the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, cooking for about a minute. Add a 10.5 oz can of French onion soup, stirring until well combined. Season with 1 teaspoon each of thyme, parsley, and rosemary.
- Add chicken to the French onion sauce, covering the meat. (At this point, transfer contents to a baking dish if your skillet is not oven-safe.) Sprinkle shredded Gruyere cheese over the top of the chicken.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
Notes
- If there are browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet after cooking the chicken, make sure to scrape them up as the onions cook. Those will add a ton of flavor to your sauce.
- I prefer to make this dish in an oven-safe skillet so you can go right from stove to oven. If you don't have one, make sure to transfer the chicken bake to a baking dish before it goes into the oven.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 42gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 1426mgPotassium: 874mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 397IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 318mgIron: 1mg
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Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.