FRENCH ONION SMOTHERED CHICKEN BREASTS (video Below)
FRENCH ONION SMOTHERED CHICKEN BREASTS
A very flavorful meal of chicken breast cutlets with lots of caramelized onions and plenty of fried mushrooms in a generous and delicious gravy. A classic! The tiny bit of thyme gives the sauce a very distinctive flavor. If you are not a fan of thyme, use dried parsley instead. If you use commercial chicken stock which no doubt is quite a bit higher in sodium than my homemade chicken stock, be careful to only lightly salt the chicken breasts. Adding about 1/4 tsp baking soda to a pound of onions helps them caramelize 50% faster!
Olive oil
3 large chicken breasts
(sliced in half longitudinally)
Salt and pepper, to taste, OR seasoning salt
(if using commercial chicken stock, go lightly)
4 tbsp butter (60 mL)
3 yellow onions, sliced
8 oz canned mushrooms, drained (250 g)
(fresh would be even better)
2 tsp crushed garlic (10 mL)
1 tbsp oat flour, OR coconut flour (15 mL)
1/4 cup white wine, OR chicken stock (60 mL)
11/4 cups chicken stock (300 mL)
1/4 tsp dried thyme, OR parsley (1 mL)
1/2 cup grated Swiss, OR Gruyere cheese (125 mL)
Salt and pepper 6 chicken cutlets on both sides (or use seasoning salt). In frying pan, in olive oil and over medium heat, cook chicken cutlets, 3 to 4 at a time. Turn frequently and remove when they are cooked through (check using a knife to cut partially through a cutlet, and in the thickest part). Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets. Set aside.
In large frying pan, in 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, fry onions over medium heat about 10 to 15 minutes until browned and caramelized. To shorten the time dramatically when browning onions, add a sprinkle of baking soda! Lower heat when necessary and give them a stir frequently. Add remaining butter and mushrooms, cooking about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add oat flour, OR coconut flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in white wine, OR chicken stock, and cook a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add 11/4 cups (200 mL) chicken stock and thyme, OR parsley and cook on medium low heat until gravy has reduced a bit, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken breasts and cook 1 minute to heat. Sprinkle cheese over each cutlet. Cover pan with lid to melt the cheese.
Yield: 6 servings
1 serving
287.3 calories
32.9 g protein
12.5 g fat
1.9 g fiber
6.5 g net carbs
*To make homemade chicken stock, place rotisserie chicken carcass in slow-cooker. Add water to cover. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) salt, 1 tsp parsley (1 mL), 1/2 tsp (2 mL) thyme (optional) and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) black pepper. Place slow-cooker on low and cook overnight. Strain and either refrigerate or freeze the chicken stock in an airtight container. This chicken stock makes a wonderful base for soups and gravies.
