French Onion Soup Chicken Skillet

Name: French Onion Soup Chicken Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs); Salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil; 1 tablespoons butter or avocado oil; 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste; 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth; 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder; 1 tablespoon water; 1 cup shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese (or Gruyère for a more traditional flavor)

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This French onion soup chicken brings all the traditional flavors of the classic French onion soup recipe—sweet caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and melty mozzarella, Swiss, or gruyère cheese—into a simple, cozy chicken dish. It’s an elevated yet easy dinner recipe you can make in one large pan, perfect for busy weeknights or even a casual dinner party. Serve it with mashed potatoes, crusty bread, white rice, noodles, or a fresh side salad for a comforting meal that looks and tastes next level.

Completed French onion soup chicken skillet.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Recipe Tips & Variations
How to Make French Onion Soup Chicken Skillet
French Onion Chicken Skillet FAQs
Other Comforting, Favorite Meals
French Onion Soup Chicken Skillet

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic flavors made simple – All the richness of a classic French onion soup recipe transformed into a quick skillet chicken dinner.
One-pan recipe – Everything cooks in one large pan or cast iron skillet, keeping cleanup easy.
Deep caramelization – Slow-cooked onions develop incredible flavor through the caramelization process without needing hours on low heat.
Melty cheese topping – Broiled gruyere cheese (or any melty cheese you love) creates that iconic French onion soup finish.
Flexible ingredients – Works with chicken breasts, chicken breast cutlets, or chicken thighs (dark meat stays very tender).
Pairs with anything – Serve with crusty bread, green beans, white rice, or cheesy croutons for a full dinner table spread.
Crowd pleaser – A great recipe to make for guests; it feels fancy but takes just 5–10 minutes of hands-on cooking.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredient shot for French onion soup chicken.

Chicken - we like to use boneless, skinless chicken breast but you can also use chicken thighs for a more tender cut of meat.
Onions - yellow onions caramelize beautifully, but you can also use another type of onions such as white onions for a slightly sharper flavor or red onions for a deeper color and sweetness.
Cheese - Gruyère cheese or gruyere-style blends melt perfectly and are traditional to French onion soup, but Swiss, provolone, or even mozzarella work great too!
Beef broth - can also swap for beef stock. Looking for other ways to use up the rest of your beef broth or stock? Try our easy ground beef stroganoff, cast iron chicken skillet with mushrooms and asparagus, or Hawaiian roll roast beef sliders.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements for this French onion chicken recipe.

Recipe Tips & Variations

If the pan gets dry during cooking, add a splash of beef broth or water. This helps lift the browned bits and speeds up softening without burning.
If you prefer dark meat, chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy and are a great way to make the dish even richer. You may also like our one pan chicken thighs and rice recipe.
Top with homemade or store-bought cheesy croutons after broiling for crunch.

How to Make French Onion Soup Chicken Skillet

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

A large skillet with cooked chicken breasts.

Step 1: Butterfly each chicken breast (slice in half so the chicken breast is half of the original thickness) and season with salt and pepper.

In a large oven safe skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked through yet). Remove and set aside.

Step 2: In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium. Add butter or oil and sliced onions. Cook, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until onions are soft, golden, and caramelized. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of broth or water.

A large skillet with cooked onions and garlic, salt and pepper, and balsamic vinegar prior to mixing.

Step 3: Add the garlic, salt, thyme, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Let it cook for 1–2 minutes, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

A large skillet of caramelized onions with beef broth being poured over the top.

Step 4: Add the beef broth and bring to a simmer.

French onion chicken skillet prior to adding shredded cheese.

Step 5: In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot or cornstarch and cold water. Slowly pour the mixture into the pan, stirring as you add. Add the chicken breasts back into the pan and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches 165 degrees.

French onion soup chicken skillet with melted and browned cheese on top.

Step 6: Turn the oven on broil. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the pan and place in the oven. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown. If you do not have an oven safe pan, put the lid on top of your pan for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

French Onion Chicken Skillet FAQs

How should I store leftover French onion soup chicken?

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over medium heat for 5–10 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals. Add a splash of beef broth if the sauce thickens too much.

Freezing: The chicken freezes very well. The onions and sauce freeze fairly well (they may soften more but still taste great). If you will be freezing this meal we recommend broiling the cheese when you reheat rather than freezing it.
To freeze: Let cool completely, store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat from frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add broth as needed. Broil the cheese at the time of reheating.

Is this French onion soup chicken skillet (GF/DF)?

This recipe is gluten free. It is dairy free with the use of oil instead of butter and the omission of cheese.

A spoon scooping out some of the French onion chicken skillet.

Other Comforting, Favorite Meals

If you make this French onion soup chicken skillet, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!