French Onion Baked Chicken

This French onion baked chicken is an easy weeknight dinner made with chicken breasts coated in Dijon and egg, then pressed into crispy fried onions. It’s baked, not fried, and comes out golden brown with hardly any prep.

Flavor: Rich, savory onion goodness with a touch of Dijon tang and a toasted, golden finish.
Why Make It: There’s no messy breading station and no frying involved. Just dip, press, and bake for easy prep and quick cleanup.
Tools: A freezer bag and rolling pin, a bowl, a baking pan, and an instant-read thermometer.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, rice, or a simple salad.

labelled french onion baked chicken ingredients

The Best Crunchy Ingredients

Chicken: Use boneless, skinless breasts pounded to a ½-inch thickness for even cooking. Tenders or cutlets work too, but will bake faster, so check them early.
Fried Onions: Crush the crispy fried onions first for better coverage and a coating that sticks. For less mess, crush them inside a zippered bag.
Seasoning: Dijon mustard adds tang; spicy brown mustard adds bite; mayo gives a milder, richer coating. Seasoned salt or your favorite poultry blend adds flavor.
Variations: Add a pinch of garlic powder, cayenne, or smoked paprika to the egg mixture, and sprinkle shredded Swiss or Gruyère cheese in the last few minutes for a cheesy French onion boost.

egg dijon and seasoning in a mixing bowl

french onion baked chicken in a bowl with egg coating

preparing french onion baked chicken coated in egg and pressed in onion mixture

top view of french onion baked chicken on a pan

How to Make French Onion Baked Chicken

Pound the chicken and crush the fried onions.
Whisk the egg mixture together (full recipe below).
Toss the chicken in the egg mixture, then press it into the onions.
Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165°F.

Pat the chicken dry before tossing it in the egg mixture so the coating sticks.
Let the extra egg mixture drip off before pressing it into the onions for a crispier crust.
Press gently, then let sit 5 minutes before baking to help the topping adhere.
If the fried onion crust browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil and finish baking.

Store, Reheat, Re-Crisp

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Freeze cooked chicken on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for 3 months.

To reheat, bake at 375°F until heated through, or air fry at 350°F to re-crisp the onion coating.

Crispy Coated Comfort Dinners

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Pound the chicken breasts to ½-inch thickness.
Add the onions to a freezer bag and roll with a rolling pin to crush them. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken and toss well to coat.
Remove each chicken breast from the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, and then dip into the crispy onions, gently pressing to adhere.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.

Note: Larger chicken breasts or breasts not pounded to ½-inch will require more cooking time.
Lightly tent a piece of foil over the chicken while baking if the onions start to get too brown.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken

Cuisine American

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