French Onion Chicken Soup
A comforting soup featuring caramelized onions, tender chicken, and cheesy toasts.
Equipment
- Dutch oven For cooking the soup.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 pounds yellow onions (4 large or 6 medium)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2.5 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 medium stalks celery
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry (No alcoholic drinks allowed, please substitute with a non-alcoholic option.)
- 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.5 baguette (optional)
- 2 ounces Gruyère cheese (about heaping 1/2 cup, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the onions by peeling, halving, and thinly slicing until you have about 10 cups.
- Cook the onions in a Dutch oven with butter, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper for 35 to 45 minutes until amber brown, stirring often.
- Chop the carrots into 1/4-inch rounds and celery into 1/4-inch pieces. Mince garlic cloves.
- Combine the vegetables by adding remaining butter to the onion mixture. Once melted, add carrots and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Prepare the chicken by seasoning with salt and butterflying if needed for even cooking.
- Add sherry to the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until mostly evaporated. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth gradually while stirring, then add chicken in a single layer. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer gently until chicken reaches 165°F, about 10 minutes for thighs or 12 to 20 minutes for breasts.
- Make cheesy toasts by broiling baguette slices topped with Gruyère cheese for 30 seconds to 1 minute until melted (optional).
- Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, return to the pot, and remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve in bowls and top with cheesy toast if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit the chicken. Feel free to add other vegetables like mushrooms or potatoes for extra flavor and nutrition.