Caramelized Onion Soup Chicken
Caramelized Onion Soup Chicken combines slow-cooked golden onions with juicy baked chicken in a creamy, savory sauce that tastes like French onion soup in main-dish form.
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion Soup Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, about 2 pounds total
- 3 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or half butter and half olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black or white pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.75 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon hot sauce optional, to taste
- fresh herbs or grated cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the chicken dry and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside while you start the onions.
- In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very soft, deeply golden, and caramelized, about 25–35 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed so they slowly brown without burning.
- Stir in the thyme and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, then stir in the cream.
- Nestle the seasoned chicken pieces into the onion sauce, spooning some of the onions over the top of each piece.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, about 18–25 minutes depending on thickness.
- Remove from the oven and stir in the lemon juice and hot sauce, if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve the chicken smothered in the caramelized onion sauce, topped with fresh herbs or cheese if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor, brown the chicken briefly in the skillet before caramelizing the onions, then remove and add it back to the sauce before baking. This recipe pairs wonderfully with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the rich onion sauce.