Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken

Tender chicken breasts simmered for hours in a rich onion broth and then covered with Gruyere cheese is comfort food at its best in this Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken recipe.

Prep Time50

Cook Time3

Total Time3 50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French

Keyword: French Onion Chicken Breast, French Onion Chicken Recipe, Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken

Servings: people

Author: Silvia Dunnirvine

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

5 bone-in chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
3 medium onions sliced lengthwise
3 cloves garlic minced or sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp brown or coconut sugar
6 oz gruyère cheese
salt and pepper to taste
fresh thyme

Instructions

Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside
Turn on browning mode in your slow cooker (if available, otherwise do this step on stove). Heat oil and add chicken skin side down and sauté for 4-5 minutes until chicken skin is golden brown. Repeat on other side (total 10-12 minutes). Transfer chicken to a plate.
Keep slow cooker in browning/ sauté mode and melt the butter. Then add in onion, stir. Cover the slow cooker and let the onion cook down for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes add garlic and brown sugar, stir well. This will help the caramelization of the onion. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Deglaze the caramelized onions with white wine. Allow wine to reduce (about 5 minutes)
Stir in broth, season with salt, pepper. Add a small bunch of fresh thyme. Transfer the chicken back into the pot. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours and low for 5 hours.
Just before the time is up add shredded gruyère cheese on top of the chicken and cover it back up until cheese has melted. Alternatively you can transfer chicken to a sheet pan, add the cheese and broil in oven for a couple minutes to give the chicken a crust-like cheesy texture.
Garnish with fresh thyme and serve in a bowl with a scoop of the French onion soup and serve with a baguette or crusty bread.

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