French Onion Chicken Skillet is a flavorful easy chicken thighs recipe that you can make in your cast iron skillet, or other sturdy frying pan. This French Onion Chicken Thighs recipe features caramelized onions and a creamy sauce that tastes so delicious!
French Onion Chicken Thighs Recipe
Chicken thighs are the perfect cut of meat to cook when you have a recipe like this one that includes multiple cooking steps. They remain juicy and tender.
This is a simple recipe as far as the seasonings and ingredients go. The sauce is creamy and flavorful without needing to use cream of anything soup. Not that I never use them.
Here are the easy steps to make this yummy French Onion Skillet Chicken Thighs recipe:
Season the chicken thighs with the spices and set them aside.
If You Don't Have a Cast Iron Skillet
You can use an oven safe frying pan/skillet, or transfer to a baking dish after simmering/thickening the sauce. Transfer to the baking dish and add the chicken, onion, and cheese and bake.
What to Serve with this Chicken Thighs Recipe
- A green salad
- Rice, noodles, or potatoes
- Steamed or sautéd vegetables (broccoli, zucchini, etc.)
This chicken thighs recipe will feed 4 people, and can be increased. Just be sure to use a larger skillet.
You Might Also Like These Easy Chicken Recipes
Flavorful Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Easy Chicken Parmesan
Easy Roast Chicken
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
If you make this tasty French Onion Chicken Skillet recipe, please let me know! Just leave a comment with a star rating below in the comment section. I'd like to know how you liked it.
French Onion Chicken Skillet
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 lg Onions, thinly sliced
- 4 Bone-in Chicken Thighs (with skin on)
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Paste (see note)
- ¼ cup Vegetable or Chicken Broth
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Add butter and oil to a skillet (cast iron is best) and heat to Medium. Add the thinly sliced onions to the pan once butter has melted.
- Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and let them carmelize for 25-30 mins over medium heat (stirring every 10 mins). See note.
- Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika and set aside.
- Once onions have caramelized, add in garlic paste and stir. Be sure to cook for an additional 2-3 mins to distribute the flavor.
- Remove onions from pan and set aside.
- Add in 1-2 tsp olive oil and sear chicken thighs for about 5 minutes on both sides, remove from pan and let rest.
- Deglaze the pan with broth and heavy cream (Deglaze means to add the liquid and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. I like using a wooden spoon for this. Those browned bits have lots of flavor and you want them in the sauce).
- Let the sauce cook and thicken for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Add chicken thighs to the pan, top with onions and a little mozzarella cheese.
- Place in a 450-degree oven for 15-20 min or until chicken is fully cooked through. Add more cheese at the 10 minute mark and let cook the remaining 10 min.
- Spoon sauce on top and enjoy.
Notes
- If you don't have Garlic Paste, you can make some: use 2 or 3 cloves garlic minced and mashed with a little oil and salt to make a paste.
- If you don't have a cast iron you could use a large skillet up until the cream sauce is thickened. Pour sauce into a baking dish, add chicken, onions and cheese and bake in the oven for 20-25 mins.
- As the onions are cooking we want this to be low and slow so the temperature should not go above medium-high. My fire was on a 3.5 on a gas stove.
- As you stir the onions check and see if any areas are cooking faster than other. More than likely the pan is not set evenly on the burner. Be sure to move the onions around to ensure nothing burns.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!