Creamy French Onion Chicken Recipe
Try this one-pan Creamy French Onion Chicken recipe for a comforting dinner that's full of rich flavor. Juicy chicken breasts are cooked with caramelized onions and fresh thyme in a luscious cream sauce. Perfect for weeknight meals or entertaining guests!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 large yellow sweet onions halved and sliced into thin half moons
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves leaves only, stems discarded, and roughly chopped
- 1 ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth + 2 ½ tablespoons (to create a slurry with the flour)
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat each chicken breast dry. Place a piece of plastic wrap on a large cutting board and arrange the chicken breasts on top, spaced evenly. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap.
- Pound the Chicken: Use a meat mallet to pound each chicken breast to ¼ inch thickness, then remove the top layer of plastic wrap.
- Season the Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Sear the Chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, swirling to coat the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown (be careful not to burn; aim for an even golden color). Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer it to a plate. Cover with tin foil to keep warm.
- Cook the Onions: Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 more tablespoons of butter along with the onions. Stir the onions, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and cook for a few minutes. Add the bay leaf and sugar, stirring occasionally, and cook for 20 minutes until the onions are golden brown. Add the garlic and fresh thyme during the last 3 minutes.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the heavy cream and 1 cup of chicken broth, adding a pinch of salt. Deglaze the pan by stirring, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and the remaining 2 ½ tablespoons of chicken broth until smooth. Add the slurry to the onion mixture, whisking until thickened, and cook for a few minutes.
- Serve the Chicken: Remove the bay leaf, return the chicken to the skillet, coat with the sauce, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve warm. I love serving this over garlic mashed potatoes—SO GOOD! Enjoy!