This crazy good recipe combines saucy caramelized onions, juicy chicken breasts, and melty mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses for a family favorite dinner. French Onion Chicken Bake is a recipe you will want to make over and over again!
Recipe review
A quick look at this recipe
- Recipe Name: French Onion Chicken Bake
- Ready In: 15 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook time, 1 hour total time
- Serves: 4
- Calories: 676 per serving
- Main Ingredients: Chicken breast, onions, chicken stock, mozzarella cheese,
- Difficulty:
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Why I love this recipe
Easy and delicious chicken recipes like Spicy Jalapeno Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry, Baked Mozzarella Chicken Marinara, and Parmesan Everything Bagel Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner are some of my favorites to make and EAT!
My latest recipe creation ~ French onion baked chicken was developed for one of my personal chef clients. It's a savory, oniony and cheesy dinner. Thin chicken breasts are seasoned and topped with rich and buttery caramelized onions and a gooey layer of melted mozzarella cheese.
This is a dish that's easy enough to make on a weeknight for family or for friends who stop by for dinner on the weekend.
Ingredients for French onion chicken
- salted butter
- Vidalia onions
- garlic cloves
- kosher salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried thyme
- paprika
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- white wine
- chicken broth
- low moisture mozzarella cheese ~ the kind that comes in a block
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley
How to make baked French onion chicken
This is one of those recipes that you probably have most of the ingredients needed to make it without a trip to the grocery store. It's easy to prepare, but does not skimp on rich and savory flavor.
Start off by sautéing sliced sweet Vidalia onions and garlic in salted butter. This takes about 15 minutes so don't rush this step. The golden brown and slightly sweet onions add so much savory flavor to the dish. Stir in some white wine and chicken stock to make a rich soupy sauce.
Season thin chicken cutlets with garlic and onion powders, dried thyme, paprika, kosher salt and pepper. Place in a buttered baking dish, top with the caramelized onions and mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. After about 20 minutes in a 400 degree F oven, dinner is ready!
Expert tips
- One of the keys to the recipe is to use thin chicken breasts or cutlets. I like to slice thin cutlets from boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Try not to rush sautéing the onions. If the heat is too high, the onions will burn and add a bitter taste to the dish.
- Use your favorite white wine in French Onion Chicken Bake. I like Chardonnay, but Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are good choices too. You can skip the wine if you would like and add apple juice or just all chicken stock.
- Use low moisture or block mozzarella instead of the fresh mozzarella in the recipe. Low moisture mozzarella is best known for its saltiness and meltability. It is perfect for baking. Fresh mozzarella is best served cold and fresh as it turns rubbery when heated.
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
French Onion Chicken Bake
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter plus more for buttering the baking dish
- 4 large Vidalia onions sliced, about 4 cups total
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ cup reduced sodium chicken stock
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 pounds total
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt
- pepper
- 8 ounces low moisture block mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 x13 inch baking dish with butter. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the 3 tablespoons salted butter. When the butter has melted, add the sliced onions. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Continue sautéing for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the onions are soft and caramelized. The onions should be golden brown.
- Stir in the white wine and chicken stock into the caramelized onions and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces by about one-half. Remove the pan for the heat and set aside.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so each breast is 2 thin pieces.
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic and onion powders, dried thyme, paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with the seasoning mix and place in the prepared baking dish.
- Top the chicken with the caramelized onions and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
- Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is about 165 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
- One of the keys to the recipe is to use thin chicken breast or cutlets. I like to slice thin cutlets from boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Try not to rush sautéing the onions. If the heat is too high, the onions will burn and add a bitter taste to the dish.
- Use your favorite white wine in French Onion Chicken Bake. I like Chardonnay, but Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are good choices too. You can skip the wine if you would like and add apple juice or just all chicken stock.
- Use low moisture or block mozzarella instead of the fresh mozzarella in the recipe. Low moisture mozzarella is best known for its saltiness and meltability making it perfect for baking. Fresh mozzarella is best served cold and fresh as it turns rubbery when heated.
Nutrition
Paula says
Unique, clever recipe. My husband loves French Onion soup but is on a reduced carb diet and must avoid bread. I saw this recipe and thought it would be a good compromise. The whole family really enjoyed it.
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad your family enjoyed my recipe Paula. I developed this on for an onion soup loving client family.
Paula says
Made it again tonight . It's so good - will become part of our recipe rotation
Amy Casey says
Oh yes! This is one that I've made many times at home and for my personal chef clients. It's a fave 🙂
chris says
Dear Amy, Getting ready to make this delicious-looking recipe, but not sure what to do with the white wine mixture. Maybe I am not not reading the recipe correctly, or I'm missing the step somewhere?
I haven't found it since "set aside." Thanks!
Amy Casey says
Hi Chris ~ Thanks for your comment. The white wine and chicken stock is stirred into the caramelized onions and reduced. The caramelized onion and white mixture is set aside while seasoning the chicken. The caramelized onion wine mixture is put on top of the seasoned chicken before baking it. I hope this answers your question. Happy cooking!
Paula says
I found this to be delicious using only chicken stock as I did not have any wine on hand . I have made this 3 times and am making it again tonight.
Amy Casey says
Thanks for sharing your variation of the recipe. It's helpful to those who don't have and/or don't want to use wine.