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Ultra close-up macro of bubbling melted Gruyere cheese and caramelized onions over seared chicken breast

One-Pan French Onion Chicken Skillet with Gruyère

Juicy seared chicken breast cutlets simmered in a deeply caramelized onion, garlic, and thyme white wine beef reduction, blanketed under a bubbling, golden-crusted layer of authentic melted Swiss Gruyère.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

Seared Chicken Cutlets
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets (approx. 1.5 lbs / 700g) pounded to even 1/2-inch thickness
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 2 tbsp unsalted European butter divided
Caramelized French Onions & Sauce
  • 3 large sweet yellow onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla) thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves plus extra sprigs for garnish
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio (or beef broth with splash of balsamic)
  • 1 cup rich low-sodium beef broth or rich beef bone broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for velvety sauce thickening
Bubbly Cheese Blanket & Serving
  • 1 1/2 cups authentic Swiss Gruyère cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup shredded Provolone or Swiss cheese for optimum cheese stretch
  • 4 slices crusty French baguette toasted with olive oil for dipping

Method
 

Prep & Chicken Sear
  1. Pat chicken cutlets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large 12-inch oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and sear undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Transfer seared chicken to a clean plate (it will finish cooking through gently in the onion gravy later).
Slow Caramelize the Sweet Onions
  1. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet drippings. Add the thinly sliced sweet onions along with a pinch of salt to draw out moisture.
  2. Cook the onions for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally with a flat wooden spoon, scraping up fond from the bottom. The onions will soften, shrink down, and turn a rich, jammy mahogany brown. Stir in the minced garlic and fresh thyme leaves and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
Deglaze & Simmer Velvety Gravy
  1. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the caramelized onions and stir for 1 minute to cook out any raw flour taste.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the skillet, using your wooden spoon to lift all flavorful caramelized browned bits from the pan bottom. Let the wine simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
  3. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and lightly thickens into an aromatic French onion reduction.
Assemble, Broil & Serve
  1. Nestle the seared chicken cutlets and any accumulated resting juices back into the bubbling onion sauce. Spoon generous mounds of the jammy caramelized onions directly over each piece of chicken.
  2. Pile the shredded Gruyère and Provolone cheeses high over each breast so the chicken is completely blanketed.
  3. Transfer the skillet to your oven broiler set to HIGH. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes (keep a close eye!) until the cheese is completely melted, bubbling furiously, and speckled with toasted golden-brown blister spots.
  4. Remove carefully using oven mitts. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and serve hot straight from the skillet alongside crusty toasted French baguette slices to soak up every drop of onion gravy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 42gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 15mg

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