Nothing says “cozy meal” more than a warm baked dish of chicken covered in caramelized onions and ooey gooey cheese….lots of ooey gooey cheese. This French Onion Smothered Chicken recipe pairs well with a dollop of buttery mashed potatoes. Yum! Read on for this amazing family recipe that even the kids can’t get enough of!
Caramelized onions are such a wonderful addition to so many meals. In fact, I have posted other recipes on my blog in the past. Recipes such as Grilled Caramelized Onion, Apple and Canadian Bacon Flatbread, (which can be prepared on grill or stove top) and Caramelized Onions and Provolone Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts, are both delicious recipes! If you haven’t worked with caramelized onions much, you will be amazed at the aroma that consumes your house when making this fantastic recipe.
Steps for French Onion Smothered Chicken ~
Preheat oven to 350°.
Wash your chicken breasts and pat to dry. Brown chicken breasts in olive oil (or oil of your choice). If your chicken breasts are large, cut through them lengthwise to make thinner cutlets. Season both sides of chicken liberally with salt, pepper and McCormick’s Montreal Chicken Seasoning.
We prefer crispy edges, so I brown chicken longer to achieve this bit of crunchiness. The amount of time needed to brown your chicken will, therefore, depend upon the amount of crispiness you or your guests prefer. I have found that many people like a bit of crunchy around the edges.
While Chicken is Browning ~
One of the best smells when cooking is that of caramelized onions. Yum! If I close my eyes, I can bring that smell to my mind any time…they are just that amazing! I mentioned this earlier, but seriously….it is the best!
You will need to slice 4 medium onions. This can be done to the thickness you prefer. Melt butter in a separate skillet from the chicken. Place sliced onions in butter and cook until browned and soft, stirring occasionally. This will take 10-15 minutes. They will have a rich dark brown color when finished.
Spray your baking dish with cooking spray. Place browned chicken in bottom of the dish. Sprinkle one packet of Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Recipe Soup & Dip Mix all over browned chicken. **I always keep a couple of Lipton Onion Soup and Dip Mixes on hand….it literally comes in handy for so many recipes.
Once Onions are Caramelized ~
Once the sliced onions are cooked through, add beef broth and balsamic vinegar. Cook this mixture on medium until it is slightly thickened. This gives you that wonderful caramelized onion taste.
Remove the caramelized onion mixture from heat and gently pour over the chicken. **I added some extra beef broth to ensure there would be ample “onion gravy” to pour over the mashed potatoes as well. In my opinion, there is never enough gravy!
Completely cover with shredded mozarella cheese and bake for about 30 minutes or until cheese has a nice browned texture. **You can mix shredded parmesan cheese in to for a slightly different flavor. Honestly, so many different cheeses could be substituted here, but we do love melted mozzarella!
Serve warm over a dollop of buttery mashed potatoes. I love to make homemade mashed potatoes, but if you are in a pinch for time, you can’t go wrong with Bob Evans Refrigerated Mashed Potatoes. Have you tried these yet? Wow! They are delcious and so very much like homemade!
Other Side Dish Options ~
As stated earlier, the french onion smothered chicken pairs very well with mashed potatoes. However, there are many other sides that would complement this yummy dish as well.
Garlic Butter Rice by Hinz Cooking is a delicious option. This is a simple side dish that is loaded with flavor and only uses several ingredients. Another easy, yet flavorful side dish option is garlic parmesan roasted broccoli by Easy Family Recipes. This is a another wonderful dish with only a few ingredients. An extra bonus with this recipe is that it is low carb and gluten free! A third side dish idea is creamy garlic parmesan orzo by The Carefree Kitchen. I have become a HUGE fan of orzo…have you cooked with it? These are just a few delicious side ideas, however, the beauty of this meal is that so many sides would pair nicely with it!
This savory dish is most definitely going to become a family favorite. Even if someone doesn’t like onions, this will many times still appeal to them. A caramelized onion is such a different flavor from a raw or slightly cooked onion. Enoy!
Happy cooking~
Mimi
