Baked French Onion Chicken
Craving the cheesy, oniony goodness of French onion soup, but with a real dinner underneath it? This easy baked French onion chicken gives you tender chicken breasts under a layer of melted provolone, with plenty of savory gravy to spoon over everything. It takes just a few minutes to get into the oven on your busiest weeknight.
Classic French onion soup is one of my favorite bistro lunches when I spot it on a restaurant menu but making it from scratch takes a bit of time and effort.
Luckily, I can get all that decadent beefy onion flavor in a quick 30-minute dinner recipe with this super quick baked French onion chicken recipe.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are seasoned and then baked in a juicy French onion sauce. Layers of cheese are melted on top right at the end.
This easy weeknight dinner is definitely going to be a new staple in our rotation during the chilly months ahead.
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Double Duty: The French onion soup works to keep the chicken tender while baking and then thickens to a rich onion gravy for spooning over your side dishes.
- Melty Cheese on Top: Layer sliced provolone at the end for a gorgeous, bubbly melted cheese topping.
- Pantry-Friendly Ingredient List: You can keep most of these things on hand for a grab-and-bake dinner with almost no notice.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: These thick, meaty portions hold up really well to the French onion soup. You could use chicken thighs if you don’t mind fall-apart tender chicken that is served in chunks instead of whole pieces.
- French Onion Soup: This recipe calls for the canned condensed soup, not a dry French onion soup packet. If you have a soup packet on hand, stir it into 1 1/4 cups water or low-sodium beef broth. It will be a little thinner than the canned soup but still works.
- Balsamic Vinegar: This adds a much-needed boost of acidity to the gravy. If you don’t have it on hand, you could substitute red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon honey.
- Seasonings: Dried paprika, thyme, and black pepper. No additional salt is needed.
- Cheese for the Topping: I used provolone cheese but Swiss or Gruyere would both be delicious. I used sliced cheese for ease and convenience but shredded would work, too.
Season the Chicken
Cut the chicken breasts in half to make 4 pieces. Place them in a small 8×8-inch baking dish.
Season both sides with the paprika, thyme, and pepper.
Pour the canned French onion soup over the top. Drizzle in the balsamic vinegar.
Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent spills in the oven while baking.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the chicken for 30 – 35 minutes or until it registers 165°F at the thickest part of the breast.
Turn on the oven broiler.
Lay the slices of cheese over the top of the chicken pieces.
Place the chicken under the broiler and cook for 1 – 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Make Ahead Tips
This chicken is best served the day you bake it but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you’d like to make it ahead, it might work better to bake the chicken as directed but save adding the melted cheese over the top until you reheat it.
Warm the chicken through in the microwave or oven and then add the cheese fresh and melt it just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I made a batch of my favorite jasmine rice to soak up all the delicious onion gravy from the French Onion chicken when I served it to my family. I added a serving of air fryer green beans on the side.
You could also serve it with my Instant Pot Sticky butter rice for an extra onion-y dinner.
To mimic a traditional French onion soup, you could toast a pan of thick-cut French bread slices brushed with a touch of olive oil under the broiler until golden brown. Then spoon the baked chicken over the top.
Prepared mashed potatoes or your favorite buttered noodles are a fantastic pairing as well.
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More French Onion Recipes
If you love the flavor of beef French onion soup, you won’t want to miss these other easy family dinner recipes:
Baked French Onion Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed French onion soup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 4 slices provolone or Swiss cheese
Instructions Start Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 8×8-inch broiler-safe baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half and place them in the prepared baking dih. Season both sides of the chicken with the paprika, dried thyme, and pepper.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pour the French onion soup over the top of the chicken and add the balsamic vinegar.1 (10.5 oz) can condensed French onion soup, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Bake the chicken for 30 – 35 minutes or until it reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the breast.4 slices provolone or Swiss cheese
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and turn on the oven broiler. Lay the sliced cheese over the chicken and place it under the broiler for 1 – 2 minutes or until the cheese has gotten bubbly and slightly browned.
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About Tiffany
Tiffany is a home-cooking enthusiast, three-time cookbook author, and creator of the sites Peanut Blossom, Peanut Blossom Book Club, and Don’t Just Fly. She believes that family dinner can be manageable, fun, and — most importantly — tasty. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two daughters and can often be found baking a loaf of bread with her beloved bread machine, reading a good book, or planning her family’s next adventure.