French Onion Chicken is the meal prep chicken you’ve been waiting for. It’s full of flavor, cheesy, and moist so you’re not going to get tired of it. It’s also an easy recipe, so it is perfect for meal prep Sunday if you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen prepping meals for the week.
This dish is warm and cozy- perfect for the winter or fall season. Because it is so high in protein, it can be paired with cauliflower rice to round out the meal, or even toasted sourdough if your calories allow. It’s only two points per serving, so you’ve got plenty of room to add some healthy carbs into the mix. The pairing options are endless.
For more super easy, meal prep chicken ideas check out these 29 Easy Low Calorie Chicken Recipes.
Three reasons why you need to make this recipe!
It’s high in protein.
We all know we should eat more chicken (lean meat) in order to successfully lose body fat, or stay lean and toned. The problem is, chicken can be so boring and bland. That’s why you need this recipe. It takes your chicken to the next level.
French Onion Chicken makes fantastic leftovers.
Flavor always gets better the next day. Make this ahead of time (or make enough to have leftovers for the next day) and you’ll enjoy it even more the second time around once the flavors have time to meld together.
Finally - chicken that isn’t dry!
The onions and chicken broth keep this chicken super moist. You won’t hate eating chicken again after making this. You’ll want to put this on your weekly menu because it’s so flavorful and healthy.
Ingredients you need to make French Onion Chicken:
- 4 cups of peeled and chopped onions (red onion or sweet onions are going to be best)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoon of chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1.5 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 4 chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
- ⅔ cup light gouda cheese, shredded
How to make French Onion Chicken (step by step):
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat and add in the chopped onions and 3 tablespoon of chicken broth. Let the onions cook for 45 minutes stirring often.
- While the onions are cooking, bring a separate frying pan to medium heat and add a little cooking spray. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper (generously) and sear each side of the chicken breasts for 5 minutes. Set them aside once they are done.
- When the onions are cooked, add in the thyme and garlic, and flour and mix well. Stir in ½ cup of the chicken broth and cook for 5 additional minutes.
- Stir in the remaining chicken broth, vinegar, and mustard. Bring to a boil and allow the sauce to thicken. You don’t have to boil it for long. It just needs to be hot enough for the sauce to thicken. Once it’s thick, remove it from the heat.
- Place the chicken in a sprayed casserole dish and top with the onion mixture and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove and add the shredded gouda cheese.
- Turn the oven to broil and let it broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings. Nutrition info per serving: Calories 335, Fat 7 g, Saturated fat 1.2 g, Carbs 23g, Fiber 2.5 g, Sugars 9 g, Sodium 1237 mg, Protein 44 g.
French Onion Chicken WW Points
- Onions 0 points
- Olive oil 1 point
- Chicken broth 0 points
- Thyme and garlic cloves 0 points
- All purpose flour 1 point
- Balsamic vinegar 1 point
- Dijon mustard 0 point
- Chicken breast 0 points
- Light gouda shredded cheese 4 points
2 points per serving based on the WW app recipe creator.
If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below.
Personal Points- 2-5 depending on your 0PP foods
SP Freestyle- (blue & purple) 2 using WW recipe builder
Smart points- (green) 5 using SP calculator
Points plus- 5 using PP calculator
Different ways to change up this recipe:
- You can use any light cheese that you like. The flavor of gouda goes really well with the French onion flavor.
- Make this in a crockpot! You can add all ingredients except for the flour and cheese to a crockpot and let it cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred the chicken with a hand mixer right in the crockpot once it’s done. You’ve got shredded French onion chicken ready to serve on toasted bread. Just top with some gouda cheese before serving.
- You can use pre-cooked chicken if you’re in a rush, and just cover it with the sauce. Tyson frozen, pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts would be perfect.
Tips and Tricks for Making French Onion Chicken:
- Low and slow is key when cooking these onions. Allowing them to cook at a low temp over 45 minutes allows them to soften and caramelize, giving you the proper French onion flavor.
- You can pre-make the sauce if you need to. Make the sauce all the way up to step 5. Then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just pour it over the chicken in a casserole dish before baking. By pre-making the sauce, you can have dinner ready in 20 minutes.
- This does not freeze well, so plan to consume it within 7 days of making it.
- To chop onions without crying, make sure the onions are cold, use a sharp knife and go fast. Cold onions hold the juices in better than room temp onions. A dull knife will “smash” the onions and release more juice which is what you don’t want. That’s why you need to make sure your knife is sharp.
Similar recipes you’ll enjoy:
French Onion Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled and chopped onions I used red onion because it's my favorite
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoon chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 cloves of garlic diced
- 1.5 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 4- 6 oz chicken breast
- ⅔ cup light gouda shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat and add in the chopped onions and 3 tablespoon of chicken broth. Let the onions cook for 45 minutes stirring often.
- While the onions are cooking, bring a separate frying pan to medium heat and add a little cooking spray. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper (generously) and sear each side of the chicken breasts for 5 minutes. Set them aside once they are done.
- When the onions are cooked, add in the thyme and garlic, and flour and mix well. Stir in ½ cup of the chicken broth and cook for 5 additional minutes.
- Stir in the remaining chicken broth, vinegar and mustard. Bring to a boil and allow the sauce to thicken. You don’t have to boil it for long. It just needs to be hot enough for the sauce to thicken. Once it’s thick, remove from the heat.
- Place the chicken in a sprayed casserole dish and top with the onion mixture and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove and add the shredded gouda cheese.
- Turn the oven to broil and let it broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Sharon
I absolutely LOVE this site. THANK YOU!
Drizzle
Thanks Sharon 🙂 hope you enjoy all the recipes!
Teri
This looks great!
Drizzle
Thanks, hope you enjoy it 🙂
Berta
Looks yummy. Can l subscribe to your site?
Drizzle
Yes 🙂 you will see a section up at the top that you can leave your email
Anne
Looks excellent! I will definitely be trying it this week! Love your blog!
Drizzle
Thank you Anne, hope you enjoy the chicken dish 🙂
Sarah
Hi! Being a fellow Ontarian, just wondering where you got the light Gouda from?
Looks amazing!
Thanks 🙂
Drizzle
Hi Sarah, I got it at Fortino's in the cheese section (by the deli)
Dorine
What cheese can replace the light Gouda? I can’t find any where I live.
Drizzle
Honestly any cheese you like really, light swiss, mozzarella
Kenzie
What’s the difference between SP and SP freestyle?
Drizzle
as far as points go nothing really, we still calculate point values the same, it's just with freestyle there is a larger list of zero point foods, if you google it I am sure you can find the list
Lisa
We are having this chicken tonight. It’s in the oven now!! Can’t wait?
Drizzle
I hope you all enjoyed it 🙂
Wendy
Lisa---How was this---was it good??---There are no reviews yet on this recipe & I've been hoping you would give us some feedback!! Please please please let us all know! ?
Drizzle
I have seen many on social media say they tried it and it has had great feedback, I personally love it but I might be biased Ha!
Monica
Had this tonight, it was delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Drizzle
Hi Monica, you are very welcome, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Donna
Hi Kate, This sounds awesome. I've been forwarding it to my fellow WW members in my meeting. With all the 0SP foods now it's always great to have new ways to prepare them keeping the SP's low. Thank you.
Drizzle
You are welcome, hope you enjoy the dish, it is so tasty!
mary chaisson
so you really cook the onions for 45 min?
Drizzle
Yes, you really do 🙂 they need to be very soft and because you have so many they take a long time
Joyce
Wow! I thought it was a typo! 4-5 min! Good thing you asked this!d!
Drizzle
The onions are time consuming but I promise it is worth it 🙂
Linda
I had an Epiphany after making this chicken. This sautéed onion recipe would be good in plain flour yogurt like onion dip! Yum! This was a Home Run!
Drizzle
Glad you enjoyed it Linda, and I like your thinking 🙂
Lynn
This site is lovely...I'll be fixing that chicken! Thanks ...
Drizzle
Thanks Lynn, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Lynn Beener
Making this tonight. My smartpoints calculator for freestyle says 5 pts. ?? I called WW and they said there is a freestyle calculator to download. I can not find it for over an hour. Any tips for download would be much appreciated. I'm anxious to start cooking! I will def share our opinion... looks outstanding... Thx again! Lynn-Ann
Drizzle
Hi Lynn, sorry I am not too sure what to say.. Your WW App should be updated to included freestyle and when you build this recipe you will get the 2 points but if you are using the nutritional numbers you cant do that to determine smart points because the nutri numbers includes the chicken but on freestyle we don't add the chicken
Kathy J
Do you really have to cook those onions for 45 minutes?
Drizzle
lol yes you really do, I have had others ask.. there is a huge pile of onions, they need to cook down very soft..
Kathy J
I asked last night (while I was making this recipe) if the onions really have to be cooked for 45 minutes. That post hasn't been approved yet--please ignore it. 🙂 The cooking process answered the question for me--YES THEY DO. They caramelized beautifully and became very sweet.
This was amazing, and I wish I'd made more than I did. From now on I'm going to double the recipe!
Drizzle
Hi Kathy, ha.. I answered that one first before seeing this one.. Yup they really need to cook and go soft for this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Joyce
Hi Kate,
Love your site! Love your recipes! Question...do you think i could use the instant pot to cook those onions down? Maybe it would be quicker? I might have to try an experiment!
Drizzle
I don't have an instant pot so I can't give you a confirmed answer but I would think you could
Debbie
This recipe was to die for! I made it for company and they LOVED it! Took some to work, they LOVED it! I couldn't find light gouda, I just used regular. Also, my onions didn't caramelize, but they did cook down nice and mushy.
Drizzle
So glad everyone enjoyed it 🙂 I'm not sure you have to really be concerned with the onions caramelizing, as long as they are cooked nice and soft 🙂
Wanda
Made this dish today followed recipe except substituted Gouda for mozzarella. It was absolutely delicious & WW point friendly. Whole family loved it. Thank you !
Drizzle
Awesome, so glad everyone enjoyed it 🙂
Sheila Bowen
What did you serve with the chicken? I'm making this for supper and wondering "what do I have with it"? LOL
Drizzle
It is pretty filling so I suggest something light, salad, or maybe even some sort of bread, like a garlic knot or home made garlic toast
Michelle Cummings
Oh my gosh...found your recipes today! I’ve been shopping and cooking all day!❤️ Made your broccoli soup , and French Onion Soup Chicken Recipe! YUM! Thanks so excited to try all the recipes I printed off! ??
Drizzle
Hi Michelle, yay.. I hope you love them all 🙂
Michelle
Yum ? thanks for sharing with us! So excited to try some more of your recipes!
Drizzle
You are very welcome 🙂
JuliAnn M Adams
I want to make these ahead to take to my daughter for a meal for the week. How should I prepare so that they can reheat or bake once I prepare?
Ashley Stone
I made this this week and substituted thin sliced swiss cheese and this was delicious! Will definitely add this to my regular rotation!
Drizzle
So glad you enjoyed it Ashley, I love swiss cheese 🙂
Lisa
We loved this recipe! My mister asked to have the leftovers for lunch and informed me that I was allowed to make it again...lol! Thanks!
Drizzle
Ha I love that! So glad you both enjoyed it 🙂
Kayla
So dissapointed since ive loved all your recipes so far!! This sauce did not taste like french onion whats so ever!! All I could taste/smell was the vinegar..
Drizzle
So sorry you did not enjoy it, this is actually the first negative feedback I have had on this one but I understand I can't please everyone, the recipe itself is not really supposed to taste like french onion soup if that is maybe what you were expecting.. maybe you could omit the vinegar?
Katie
I made this last night. I used Velveeta mozzarella shreds and light swiss. It was killer! Definitely making again!
Drizzle
So glad you enjoyed it Katie 🙂
Chelsie
Hi! First, your site is amazing. I've loved practically everything I've made. Made this one tonight... it was very watery in the pan... any ideas why how I can fix that for next time? The flavors are great, but it was not thick after it baked. Thanks!
Drizzle
Hi Chelsie, do you mean the end result was watery or just the onion mix? I did have juices in the pan when I made it and just spooned some over the chicken.. but it was not overly watery
Courtney Rees
This was absolute perfection! If you are thinking about making this, run to the store and grab the ingredients right now!
Drizzle
Thanks Courtney, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Kelly C
I LOVE this recipe! Made it tonight for the second time and it was delicious.
Drizzle
Hi Kelly, so glad you loved it, it is one of my favorites for sure, and so point friendly 🙂
Noreen Harnage
I made this tonight, but cut the recipe in half for my husband and I. It was delicious!! I will definitely be making it again.
Drizzle
Hi Noreen, I am so glad you both enjoyed it 🙂
Stevie
I just made this and it was AMAZING! Seriously incredible. My husband was skeptical but really enjoyed it as well! These weren't just caramelized onions, they were almost in a glaze that coated the chicken. I can't wait to make this again!
Drizzle
Yay, so glad you both enjoyed it, it is one of my favorites for sure!
Mary
This was off the chain delicious! It tasted like something from a restaurant. The onions were amazing! Even my husband loved it! Thank you!
Drizzle
Hi Mary, wow that is a great compliment, thank you 🙂 so glad you both enjoyed it!
christine
Made this last night. was absolutely delish! Family loved it too! Thank you for the great recipe
Drizzle
Hi Christine, so glad everyone enjoyed it, one of my favorite meals for sure 🙂
Vicki McDaniel
Made this tonight and served it with mashed cauliflower, big hit with my family! Will be making more of your recipes. Thank you!
Drizzle
Hi Vicki, I am so happy to hear the family enjoyed it 🙂
Anne Lagassey
I just made this recipe and I will admit, it took way longer than I'm used to for a recipe but I thought it looked so delicious, I tackled it. While bringing the serving dish to the table though, I told my husband, "I'm sure not making that again, it was too labor intensive for me (a low bar)!" Of course we LOVED it - I mean, "make for company" loved it and so I ate crow for dessert a I dug the printed copy of the recipe out of the trash to take it's rightful place in my recipe binder. Thank you!
Drizzle
Haha I love this!! I know those onions take awhile but oh so worth it 🙂 I am glad you will make it again..
Amy
Since I'm the only one in my family who eats onions, I was thinking of making it for 4 and just freezing them to eat later. Do you think that will work?
Drizzle
Hi Amy, yes you can freeze them 🙂