French Onion Chicken with Mushrooms

French Onion Chicken with Mushrooms is like a big scoop of the insides of a bowl of French onion soup with the additions of tangy marinated chicken and mushrooms.

I am calling this extra delicious, extra easy chicken French Onion Chicken with Mushrooms because it’s like a big scoop of the insides of a bowl of French onion soup with the additions of tangy marinated chicken and mushrooms. But Yasmin Fahr, the creator of the recipe (which I tweaked just a little bit), calls it Skillet Chicken With Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions. Either way, this NYT Cooking recipe is a winner.

Super-soft caramelized onions get that way in a dry skillet – no oil. A dry sauté is a little counterintuitive for anyone used to warming oil and adding onions, but amazingly, it works. The key is to give them a quick stir every minute or so, and to otherwise leave them alone to do their thing. The chicken gets marinated in a bright mix of vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey, and the beautiful part of this is that there’s no thinking ahead – the marinating happens while the onions and mushrooms cook. It’s all a one-pan thing when you push the onions and mushrooms to the side to brown the chicken, and then let it all cook together while you boil some egg noodles to use as a base for the yummy, soup-less “onion soup.”

It doesn’t get easier, or more delicious. 

Editor's note: If this recipe makes you crave French Onion Soup, try out this recipe. 

French Onion Chicken with Mushrooms

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (balsamic or white wine vinegar would also work)
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
¾ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Cooked egg noodles, for serving

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, honey, mustard, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pat the chicken dry and add it to the marinade, coating it well. Set aside at room temperature, stirring a couple of times while you make the onions.

Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the onions in an even layer. Season with salt and cook, mostly undisturbed, for 4 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, and stir to combine. Cook, mostly undisturbed, until the mushrooms shrink and start to brown, about 4 minutes, stirring every minute or so.

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and allow the onions and mushrooms to cook until the start to color, stirring and lowering the heat as necessary to avoid burning, about 4 minutes. Push the onions and mushrooms to the edges of the skillet, and add the chicken pieces to the center. Pour any remaining marinade (there will be very little) over the onions and mushrooms. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, then turn the chicken to brown on the other side for another 4 minutes or so. When the chicken is browned, stir it together with the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. (Reduce the heat to medium if the onions look like they are burning at any point.)

Serve over the noodles, topped with a sprinkle of parsley.