Recipe Background
Elegant French Onion Chicken with Gruyère is a romantic, comforting dish.
The first time I made this dish was right after my first date with Dean, my now-partner of fifteen years. We had just spent a fabulous evening where we tried a little bistro off Main Street, where he suggested a daring French onion soup as an appetizer. Inspired by those rich, caramelized onions and bubbling cheese, I decided to impress him by creating my own version. Chicken breasts were in my fridge and seemed the perfect vehicle to hold onto the melting Gruyère and aromatic thyme I had freshly picked from my windowsill garden.
Standing over the stovetop, I recalled Dean’s grin when we clinked spoonfuls of soup together. That thrilling moment pushed me to perfect the dish. Onion-slicing became a meditative step in my process, and I often remember how the secret to perfecting their golden hues was patience. Slowly cooking them together with garlic until everything reaches that ideal caramelized stage became my new favorite ritual. A surefire tip? Don't rush the onions; their sweetness can only be trusted in time.
By the time Dean was at my apartment door, the aroma was floating down the hall like a siren's song. The final touch—the Gruyère, bubbling under the broiler—sealed the deal. My heart raced as he took his first bite. At that moment, I knew the evening was a success as much for us as for this elegant French onion chicken recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken breast boneless and skinless, split in half lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more, to taste
- 4 large yellow onions sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 8 ounces Gruyère cheese shredded
Directions
- On the stovetop over medium-high heat, place a large oven-safe braising pan with a lid.
- Add the olive oil to the heated braising pan and allow it to become hot.
- On a large platter, add the chicken breast halves and generously season them using 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
- Add the seasoned chicken breast halves to the heated olive oil and cook until they are golden-brown and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the cooked chicken breast halves to a clean plate and cover to keep them warm.
- Lower the stovetop heat to medium-low.
- In the same braising pan, add the onions.
- Cover the pan and cook the onions, while stirring about every 5 minutes, until golden-brown, about 20-30 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, while stirring frequently, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Evenly sprinkle the arrowroot starch over the onion mixture and stir until well-combined.
- Add the chicken broth, 1/2 tablespoon of the thyme, the extra salt, and the extra black pepper to the onion mixture and stir until well-combined.
- Raise the stovetop heat to medium-high.
- Bring the onion mixture to a simmer, uncovered, and cook until thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler.
- Transfer the onion mixture from the stovetop to a wire rack.
- Add the cooked chicken breast halves to the onion mixture and evenly spoon the onion mixture over each of the chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle the chicken breast mixture with the Gruyère cheese.
- Broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
- Serve garnished with the extra thyme.
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