Our family’s version of French onion chicken cooked deliciously with caramelized onions, chopped chicken breast pieces all in a smooth, thick gravy.
French Onion Chicken Recipe
There are many reasons this French onion chicken recipe is one of our favorite meals. First of all, it requires minimal ingredients to prepare which means you likely will have exactly what you need at home already without the need for additional ingredients from the store. Additionally, the French onion chicken pairs really nicely with a lot of different side dishes from potatoes to pasta and even rice.
Also, as with many of our homestyle recipes such as our stuffed peppers, classic beef goulash and slow cooker pulled pork, this chicken dish tastes even better as a leftover the next day.
Ingredients Needed
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These proportions makes enough to serve 8 people.
- 3 medium cooking onions, finely diced
- 2 lbs chicken (4-5 breasts, 10 thighs or drumsticks) (note if using drumsticks, slice them on the bone to help cook faster)
- ½ yellow or red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable or canola)
- 3-4 cups water, divided
- tomato powder seasoning (optional, for color)
Ingredients for making thickener “gravy”
- 2 tbsp corn starch (or all purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup cold water
How to Make French Onion Chicken
Chop chicken in to small pieces, about 1″ in size.
Sautee chicken in deep sauce pan until juices run out and edges start to brown. Add 1 cup hot water. Simmer on medium-low temperature about 15-20 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep from burning.
Remove onion skins and chop until finely diced, using a vegetable chopper for this step if you have one. Once diced, sautee onions in a separate frying pan until caramelized, 4-5 minutes.
Add the caramelized onions to the chicken and stir together.
Next, add 2 cups of water and stir together.
If including bell peppers, add the sliced peppers at this stage and continue simmering for 20 minutes.
Prepare thickener
Combine a 1/2 cup of cold water with 2 tbsp of corn starch in a small bowl and mix together. Add mixtue to chicken and stir completely. Simmer for another 10 minutes. until the thickenerhas adjusted to a gravy consistency.
Serve Alongside the Tasty Dishes
We enjoy this French onion chicken recipe along with a side of mashed potatoes, over top of cooked pasta noodles or egg noodles and even alongside a serving of rice (without the peas).
French Onion Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 medium cooking onions finely diced
- 2 lbs chicken 4-5 breasts, 10 thighs or drumsticks (note if using drumsticks, slice them on the bone to help cook faster)
- ½ yellow or red bell pepper sliced (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp oil vegetable or canola
- 3-4 cups water as needed
Thickener (Gravy)
- 2 tbsp corn starch or flour
- 1/2 cup cold water
Instructions
- Sautee chopped chicken in a deep sauce pan until juices run out and edges start to brown. Add 1 cup hot water. Simmer on medium-low temperature about 15-20 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep from burning.
- In the meantime, sautee diced onions in a separate frying pan until caramelized, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the caramelized onions to the chicken and stir together.
- Add 2 cups of water and stir.
- Add peppers and continue simmering for 20 minutes.
- Make the thickener by mixing corn starch with cold water and then adding to chicken.
- Simmer for another 10 minutes until thickener adjusts to a gravy consistency.
Nutrition
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