With just 10 minutes of prep, this Dump-and-Bake French Onion Chicken turns everything you love about French onion soup into a hands-off dinner! Sweet onions and chicken breasts bake together in a rich, savory broth, and a slice of cheesy toast on the side soaks up every last bit.
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Before You Get Started
There is not much that can go sideways with a dump-and-bake dinner, but these three make the difference between good and great:
- Pound thick breasts to an even thickness. Large breasts dry out at the edges long before the center hits 165°F. A quick pound to about an inch solves it.
- Expect a thin, brothy sauce. This tastes like French onion soup, not gravy. The cheesy toast on the side is your tool for soaking it up!
- Use fresh thyme and rosemary. Dried herbs get lost in all that broth. Fresh sprigs are what keep this from tasting like a packet.
How to Make French Onion Chicken
Everything goes into one dish and the oven takes it from there. No browning, no caramelizing, and no standing at the stove!
Step 1: Layer the Onions
Spread thinly sliced sweet onions across the bottom of a greased baking dish. They form the base that everything else cooks on top of, and they release their liquid into the sauce as they soften.
⇢ Slice the onions as thin as you can: Thick slices stay firm through the full bake. Thin ones collapse into something close to caramelized.
Step 2: Add the Chicken and Herbs
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and set them right on top of the onions.
Tuck the thyme and rosemary sprigs around the pieces so the herbs sit in the liquid and perfume the whole dish as it bakes.
Step 3: Whisk the Sauce
Whisk the beef broth, olive oil, Dijon, honey, sherry, Worcestershire, dry onion soup mix, and salt together until smooth, then pour it over the chicken.
The honey and Dijon are what keep this from tasting like a soup packet, so do not be tempted to skip them.
⇢ Save the rest of the soup mix packet. You only need 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the rest over roasted potatoes, stir it into ground beef, or use it for onion dip.
Step 4: Bake Uncovered
Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes. Leaving the dish uncovered lets the tops of the chicken brown while the onions collapse into the broth underneath.
⇢ Go by temperature, not the clock. The chicken is done at 165°F. You are looking for golden brown tops and onions that have gone soft and jammy at the edges.
Step 5: Baste and Serve
Pull out the herb stems, spoon the pan sauce over the chicken, and scatter a little fresh thyme on top.
Serve with cheese toast for dipping.
Cheese-Topped (optional): Lay a slice of provolone or a handful of shredded mozzarella over each breast and broil for 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
Try it another way
For the fully loaded version with bread and cheese baked right in, make my French Onion Chicken Casserole.
What to Serve Alongside
Do not skip the bread! This dish leaves a good amount of savory broth in the bottom of the pan, and a thick slice of cheesy toast is what makes the meal feel complete (just like the cheesy bread on top of a bowl of French onion soup). Store-bought cheesy Texas toast works great on a busy night, or add cheese to my Homemade Garlic Bread when you have a few extra minutes.
From there, you want something that catches the sauce and something green:
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: Assemble the entire dish, cover it, and refrigerate for up to a day before baking. Let it sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before it goes in the oven so it is not ice cold going in.
Store: Leftover chicken and onions keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Store the sauce with the chicken so it does not dry out.
Freeze: The cooked chicken, onions, and sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Toast the bread fresh rather than freezing it.
Reheat: Cover with foil and warm in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes, spooning some of the sauce over the chicken first. Individual portions reheat in the microwave in 1 to 2 minutes.
Leftover chicken is excellent sliced onto sandwiches or diced into chicken salad the next day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the chicken from drying out?
Thickness is the culprit almost every time. Large breasts in the 10 to 12 ounce range cook unevenly, so the thin end overcooks while the thick end catches up. Pound them to a roughly even inch before they go in the dish, and start checking the temperature at 45 minutes. Once you hit 165°F, pull it out. Spooning the pan sauce over the chicken before serving also helps.
Can I thicken the sauce?
You can, though it is meant to stay brothy like French onion soup. If you want something closer to gravy, pour the pan liquid into a small saucepan after baking, bring it to a simmer, and whisk in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water. Simmer for a minute or two until it coats a spoon, then pour it back over the chicken.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes, and plenty of readers prefer them. Boneless, skinless thighs work with no changes to the method and are more forgiving if you lose track of time. Bone-in pieces will need a few extra minutes, so lean on the thermometer rather than the timer.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
It works, with one caveat. Layer the onions and chicken in the slow cooker, pour the sauce over top, and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or until the chicken reaches 165°F. You will not get any browning on top, so the dish comes out paler than the oven version. If that bothers you, place it under the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
Can I use homemade onion seasoning instead of the packet?
Sure. For the 2 tablespoons this recipe calls for, whisk together 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch each of celery salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. It is slightly less salty than the packet, so taste the sauce before you add the extra ¼ teaspoon of salt.
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Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Baked French Onion Chicken
Equipment
- 9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet onions, very thinly sliced
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 ½ – 3 lbs. total)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- ½ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sherry or brandy
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry onion soup mix (from a 1-ounce packet)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- For serving: frozen Texas cheese toast, cooked according to package instructions (or other homemade cheese toast)
Instructions
- Prep the dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a large, shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
- Layer the onions. Spread the sliced onion evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Add the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and place it on top of the onion. Tuck the fresh herb sprigs around the pieces.
- Whisk the sauce. In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, dry soup mix, and salt until completely combined.
- Pour and bake. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Cooking time varies with the size and thickness of the chicken.
- Finish and serve. Discard the herb stems, baste the chicken with the pan sauce, and garnish with additional fresh herbs. Serve with cheese toast.
Notes
- Chicken sizing and doneness: If your chicken is particularly thick, you might like to pound the meat to an even 1-inch thickness so they cook through evenly and faster. Start checking the temperature at 45 minutes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted with no other changes; bone-in pieces will need a few extra minutes.
- Sauce Note: It stays thin and brothy, like French onion soup. To thicken it, simmer the pan liquid in a small saucepan and whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water.
- Fresh herbs matter. Fresh thyme and rosemary hold up in the broth in a way dried herbs do not. Pull the stems before serving.
- Optional cheese topping: For a melted-cheese finish, lay a slice of provolone or a handful of shredded mozzarella over each breast and broil for 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
- Leftover soup mix: The recipe uses 2 tablespoons from a 1 ounce packet. Use the rest on roasted potatoes, in ground beef, or for onion dip.
- Cooking just for two: Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake in an 8-inch square dish.
- Make ahead and storage: Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat covered in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally published in April, 2018, this post was updated in September, 2026.
I feel my oven has a tendency to produce dry chicken, so I think I will make this recipe in my slow cooker. I have an oven-slow cooker conversion chart that will help. Other than basting the chicken often, I think it would turn out good!
Yes, I think the slow cooker will work really well!
You don’t need to baste as I cover mine with foil and then the last 15 minutes I remove the foil.
You can do the exact recipe using pork chops, really tasty, omg
I also have used the reserved juice and add to my already cooked minute rice hen quickly stir fry in the wok, or skillet, wow gives a whole new flavour to coked rice.
Sounds delicious, Michel!
Delicious. Did in the oven for just over an hour. So moist – was amazing and the juice and onions on rice – nummy.
Thank you, Kathy!
Thanks for those tips, Michael.. I look forward to trying this recipe.
Ooh, this looks so delicious! It’s getting colder in Sydney so I can’t get enough of oven baked dinners!
Last night we had this dish made with bone in Thighs . It was delicious !! One could make the sauce in advance … the rest is easy !!
Wonderful! I’m so glad that it was a hit, Dorothy! 🙂
Made this according to the recipe and it was delicious! Chicken was nice and juicy and super tasty. Family loved it! Thank you.
We’re so happy to hear this, Jessica! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
Made this Friday and my family and I love it!!! Finished the leftovers yesterday and they were amazing because they soaked in the glorious juice and now is part of our favorites! Thank you Blair 🙂 you make dinner easy and delicious!
Yay! So glad to hear that it was a hit! I agree — leftovers are awesome, too. 🙂
Wow! This was delicious. Next time I might try it with mashed potatoes to enjoy the sauce too but the side of toast was great! I made Brussels sprouts for the side. It paired well!
Thanks, Melysa! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! You’re right — I bet mashed potatoes would be perfect with it, and the Brussels sprouts sound like a perfect side!
I made this last week and it was so yummy and moist. Even my 1 year old loved it. I will be keeping this in rotation for sure. 5 stars!
Wonderful! Thank you, Kimberly! 🙂
I want to try this, any idea if I could add rice to the baking dish with the onions? Should I add more liquid?
Hi, Erin! I think that you could make it work, but you’ll definitely need to add more liquid to the dish. I would use about 1 cup of rice and add 2 additional cups of beef broth. My only concern is that the rice might take longer to cook than the chicken. If the chicken is done but the rice is still hard, I would remove the chicken from the dish, cover the dish, and return it to the oven until the rice is cooked through.
Absolutely DELICIOUS! This is now a family favorite. Easy to make and SUPER low maintenance with plenty of payoff in flavor. The chicken is MOIST and goes wonderfully with a side of garlic and butter broccoli and rice . A true winner indeed!
Thanks, Jill! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi, would adding mushrooms to the pot workout? Don’t want to spoil the recipe.
Yes, I think that would be great! 🙂
Hi Blair, do you think I could prep this as a freezer meal or will the onions turn mushy? I love this recipe and I’m maternity leave prepping.
Hi, Kimberly! Absolutely! I think this is a perfect freezer meal. Even if the onion is slightly soft after thawing, it won’t matter — because it will just get nice and soft when it’s baked anyway. Enjoy, and congrats on the upcoming baby. Freezer meals are THE BEST postpartum. 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. Just made this for the family with great reviews! Good enough to serve to company. I also made a small vegan version for our daughter using Gardien chik’n cutlets, onion broth, and Annie’s vegan Worcestershire. Another winner. Glad I followed the advice to use fresh herbs and foil, the house smelled great as it baked. We are looking forward to the leftovers.
Tried this with chicken last week and tonight I’m going to try it with pork chops. I can’t wait!
Awesome! So glad that you liked it, Shaunna! I love the idea of trying it with pork chops, too.
Im thinking of making this for my family but we aren’t big mustard people – is the mustard taste overpowering? Would you consider this a mustardy dish?
Hi! No, the mustard is not overpowering at all. In fact, you might not even notice it’s there. If you’re worried, you can cut the amount in half. It will still be great!
I can not use onion soup mix because of the high sodium level in it. What can I substitute for the 2 Tablespoons of onion soup mix. I don’t even keep that so I can’t even use less. I need something different.
Hey, Debbie! I would just use some dried minced onion and/or dried onion powder, along with salt and pepper (to taste) and maybe a splash of soy sauce. That basically takes care of most of the ingredients in the soup mix, other than cornstarch (which acts as a thickener). Hope that helps! 🙂
What if I don’t have sherry or brandy? Can I do without those ingredients? Will it still taste good?
Hi, Caroline! You can just omit the sherry or brandy, or add a splash of white wine or balsamic vinegar (if you’ve got them). Enjoy! 🙂
Made this last night, absolutely delicious. I just omitted the added salt, it came out perfect! My husband loved it, the chicken was tender, the onions come out sweet and the sauce is fabulous, served with basmati rice and broccoli. This recipe is gold 🙂
Thanks, Julie! I’m so glad that you loved it! Thanks for taking the time to come back here and let me know. 🙂
I made this last night and it was amazing!! I didn’t have all of the ingredients but it was great with substitutions – red wine for sherry or brandy, water instead of beef broth and I did not have the fresh spices only the dried versions… I will definitely make it again and add it to my dinner recipe rotation. Paired it with fresh squash and onions and rice. Sooooo goood!
Awesome! Thanks — sounds like you made it work well with what you had on hand. 🙂
I’m a very seasoned cook. After baking 4 large skinless breasts for 55 minutes tonight, the onions, (which I sliced thin), were still crunchy, not caramelized at all. Need to increase the liquids, or cover the dish and bake, and open last 10 minutes. A lot evaporated. It was very tasty, but I’ll have to cook the leftover onions more.
Fantastic dish. We have made this four times in the past month already 🙂
Super easy and so so good
That makes me so happy to hear, Wendy. Thank you!
It was amazing! New family favorite for sure. I’m not a fan of onions but this was so savory sweet I couldn’t get enough of the onions and chicken.
Yay! Thank you, Kira!
The BEST chicken recipe BY FAR that the ENTIRE family loves!!!! I make this often, and nobody gets tired of it….just the opposite.. excited! THANK YOU so much for this incredibly delicious recipe!!!
Thank you so much, Beth! We’re so happy to hear you and your family enjoy it!