Description

French Onion Smothered Chicken is a savory, comforting dish featuring thinly sliced chicken breasts cooked in a rich, caramelized onion and mushroom sauce with herbs, finished with creamy broth and melted Gruyere cheese atop toasted French bread. This recipe offers a delightful balance of tender chicken, sweet onions, aromatic herbs, and gooey cheese, perfect for a cozy dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

1 1/2 pounds thin cut chicken breasts
Salt and black pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons salted butter

Onion and Mushroom Mixture

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 (chicken or vegetable)
3/4 cup heavy cream

Finishing

6 slices French bread
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

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Instructions

Preheat and season: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Season the thin-cut chicken breasts generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
Cook onions: In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelize. Gradually add the apple cider in 1/4 cup increments, allowing it to cook into the onions each time, intensifying their sweetness.
Add aromatics and mushrooms: Stir in the chopped garlic, sliced cremini mushrooms, fresh thyme leaves, and chopped sage. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes to let the flavors meld and the mushrooms soften.
Cook chicken and reduce sauce: Nestle the seasoned chicken breasts into the onion mixture, seasoning again with salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 10 minutes more, allowing the onions to deeply caramelize around the chicken. Pour in the dry white wine and broth, then increase heat to high to bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces. Finally, stir in the heavy cream to create a luscious sauce.
Toast bread: While the sauce simmers, arrange the French bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until very dry and crisp.
Assemble and bake: Place the toasted bread slices on or around the chicken in the skillet. Evenly sprinkle the shredded Gruyere cheese over the bread and chicken. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with additional thyme leaves if desired.
Serve: Remove from oven and serve immediately, enjoying the rich, comforting flavors of this French Onion Smothered Chicken dish.

Notes

Use thin-cut chicken breasts to ensure quicker cooking and even caramelization.
Gradually adding apple cider helps the onions caramelize gently without burning.
Dry white wine can be substituted with extra broth if preferred.
Gruyere is key for its melting quality and nutty flavor; Swiss cheese is a suitable alternative.
Make sure to use an oven-safe skillet to avoid transferring the mixture during baking.
For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with olive oil and heavy cream with coconut cream.