Baked French Onion Chicken

5 from 14 votes

Chicken breasts and sweet onions bake together in a rich French onion broth for a dinner that takes 10 minutes to put together. Serve it with cheesy toast to soak up every bit of the sauce!

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Keyword baked chicken breast recipes, boneless skinless chicken breast recipes, french onion chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 359kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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.

Video

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