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French Onion Chicken

Course Dinner
Keyword chicken thighs, French Onion, French onion chicken, French onion soup
Servings 2 people
Author Lokness

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 pounds onion (sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium or unsalted beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup gruyere (grated)
  • salt
  • ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until a deep golden brown color is reached, about 1 hour, stirring every 5 – 10 minutes. If the bottom starts to burn, turn the heat down to medium-low and deglaze the pan with a little water. Lightly season with salt.
  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
  • Add the garlic, thyme and flour into the onions. Stir and cook for a minute. Add half of the broth. Deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In another large pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear for 3 – 4 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and sear for another 3 – 4 minutes.
  • Back to the onions, add the remaining broth, balsamic vinegar and mustard. Bring to a boil and simmer to reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place the chicken in the onions. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn up the oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and onions. Return to oven until the cheese is melted, about 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve with baguette.

Notes

  1. If you are love lots of meats, add 1 extra chicken thigh.
  2. The onions will start to turn golden at around 40 minutes. You maybe tempted to stop and move on to the next step. But don’t stop there. You really want deeper and richer flavors for your broth. Keep cooking until almost 1 hour.
  3. I like my baguette toasted. I cut them and toast them in a large pan over high heat.
  4. If there is onion leftover, don’t throw it away. I like to save them for lunch the next day. I served them with leftover baguette and salad on the side.
(Adapted from Closet Cooking)