French Onion Chicken Easy One Pan Recipe Wellplated Com

Put the words “French Onion” in front of just about any recipe, and I’m pretty much guaranteed to like it. French onion chicken? Say no more. Just grab me a fork. Whole roast chicken isn’t something I make often (I’m more of a Baked Chicken Thighs or Bone-In Chicken Breast girl for ease), but when I saw a recipe for a French-onion-inspired roast chicken in Cooking Light, I couldn’t put it out of my head. As tantalizing as the recipe sounded, I avoided the recipe because it was just too fussy. It called for caramelizing the onions and fixing a sauce in one pan, scraping it all onto a second pan to bake, and butterflying a chicken—sorry, too much work for my average Tuesday (this easy Italian Chicken is more my style). However, I was not to be dissuaded easily. I was determined to make an easy French onion chicken, and, friends, this recipe is it! I love when big ideas turn into something truly magical. Caramelizing onions on a sheet pan in the oven and using that same pan to bake the chicken and toast the bread was a total experiment. It worked even better than I imagined!

The onions break down in the oven, sweeten, and turn into a glorious caramelized sauce that’s ideal for spooning right over the chicken and bread. (I bet it would be divine on Smothered Pork Chops too.)The roughly cut bread pieces transform into big, golden, lightly crispy “croutons” that absorb the chicken’s juices for maximum flavor. A touch of Dijon mustard (so French!), real butter, whole cloves of roasted garlic, and a sprinkle of fresh thyme take this dish to all new levels of delish.

Spoiler Alert: If you love my Instant Pot French Onion Soup, you’ll love this healthy French onion chicken recipe even more.

How to Make French Onion Chicken

This easy and healthy French onion chicken oven recipe is made with simple, wholesome ingredients and no soup mix. Prepared on a single sheet pan (like Maple Dijon Chicken and Vegetables) for easy clean-up, it comes together in right around an hour.

The Ingredients

Chicken. Tender and juicy bone-in and skin-on chicken breasts were my protein choice for this recipe. I split them in half crosswise for faster cooking.

Onions. Grab the largest onion you can find and slice it thin. Thin slices caramelize best within the recipe’s cook time. I recommend yellow onion for this easy French onion chicken recipe.Garlic. For a little extra zip and aromatic bliss.Sourdough Bread. For the BEST French onion chicken croutons, splurge on a loaf of high-quality sourdough (whole grain, if possible) from a local bakery. It makes a world of difference.

Dijon Mustard. A little French Dijon mustard complements this dish’s herbs and onion flavors. (Dijon is also key in this Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin.)Thyme. A fresh herb that accents the onions, chicken, and garlic.Butter + Olive Oil. This combination of fats adds richness and ensures maximum crispness of both the croutons and chicken skin.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.To Reheat. For best results, warm leftovers on a sheet pan in a 350-degree F oven until the chicken is heated through and the croutons have crisped. Leftover French onion chicken may also be microwaved. However, the chicken skin and croutons will not be as crisp.To Freeze. Leftovers may be frozen for up to 3 months. Let defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as directed above.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Sheet Pan. These have been a staple in my kitchen for many years.Measuring Cup. An essential measuring tool no kitchen should be without.Chef’s Knife. Perfect for chopping, slicing, and dicing.

This easy sheet pan French onion chicken will have everyone at your dinner table saying, ooo la la!

If some chicken pieces cook more quickly than others, remove the cooked pieces to a plate and cover to keep them warm, then return the pan to the oven and continue baking until all of the chicken is cooked through.