French Onion Stuffed Chicken
If you are looking for a decadent restaurant quality dine-in dinner, then this recipe is sure to please! The creamy cheese and decadent homemade french onions truly make this chicken dish something special. Tip: Toothpicks are your friends when making this dish! Make sure to seal the chicken with toothpicks before you pop it in the oven so that all those beautiful onions and cheese stay tightly sealed in there to give the chicken moisture and an incredible flavor! Enjoy!
Original Recipe found at: cafedelites.com
Ingredients
- unsalted butter - 2 tbs.
- large onions (halves and sliced) - 4 large
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- thyme (dried and divided) - 2 tsp.
- balsamic vinegar - 2 tbs.
- garlic cloves (minced) - 2
- beef broth - 1/2 cup
- olive oil - 1 tbs.
- chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) - 4
- garlic powder - 2 tsp
- thyme (dried) - 1 tsp
- Gruyere or Mozarella cheese (sliced or shredded) - 1 cup (or 1 slice per chicken breast)
- Parmesan cheese - 4 tbs.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). grease a 9 x 12-inch pan with cooking spray or coconut oil.
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Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt, pepper and half of the fresh chopped thyme. Cook for 5-8 minutes until soft.
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Reduce heat to medium and cook, while stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and super soft! (about 15 minutes). Pour in a bit of chicken broth (maybe 1/4 of a cup) if they seem to be getting too dry, and keep stirring until the onions are browned.
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Pour in balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and add some beautiful, deep flavors into the onions. Let it cook until the sauce thickens up a bit.
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Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and let cool slightly.
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Make a pocket in the chicken breasts by cutting it horizontally, but don't cut all the way through. Rub the chicken all over, inside and out, with salt, pepper, garlic powder and ground thyme.
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Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of caramelized onions into each pocket. Stuff each breast with the cheeses and seal the open ends with toothpicks. It is good to make the toothpicks crisscross to have the most stable seal.
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Transfer the remaining caramelized onions from the pan to the prepared baking dish. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup of broth to help keep the chicken moist and juicy while cooking.
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Heat oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Sear the stuffed chicken breasts for 4 minutes each side until browned. Do not cook them completely though. You just want them to be nice and browned on the outside.
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Place the chicken onto the onions in the baking dish. Spoon some of the sauce in the dish over each chicken breast. Top with remaining chopped thyme and bake for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked.
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Make sure to remember to remove the toothpicks and enjoy!
