Creamy French Onion Chicken Rice (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and rice cooked with caramelized onions in a rich, creamy Gruyère sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

→ Pantry

05 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
06 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Dairy

09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until deeply caramelized, about 15-18 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper, then nestle into the caramelized onions. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.
04 - Add the rinsed rice around the chicken, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 18-20 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and shredded Gruyère, allowing the cheese to melt and the sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with extra thyme if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The rice absorbs every drop of that French onion flavor while it cooks, becoming impossibly creamy without any stirring
  • One pan does absolutely everything—caramelizing onions, searing chicken, cooking rice, and bringing it all together
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
  • Deglaze the onions with a splash of dry white wine before adding the chicken to scrape up all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan
  • If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, cut them in half horizontally before cooking so they finish in the same time as the rice
03 -
  • Rinse your rice until the water runs clear to prevent gummy results
  • Let the onions go darker than you think you should—that deep color is where the magic happens

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