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This French Onion Chicken & Rice is the one pan meal of your dreams! This version is gluten-free, and so simple to make.

French onion chicken and rice in a large cast iron pan topped with fresh thyme.

French onion soup is one of those comfort food classics that everyone loves. What’s not to like about a rich and comforting soup topped off with bread and cheese?! If you’re like me and you’re gluten free, you may miss French onion soup. I love turning classics gluten free like egg roll in a bowl, and decided it was time to tackle a French onion soup inspired chicken and rice dish.

This French Onion Chicken & Rice is truly an incredible one pan meal that will satisfy your French onion soup cravings without the bread, and with more protein.

Table of contents

Why you’ll love this recipe…

  • One pan wonder. My one pot chicken and rice recipes are always popular on my blog because they’re so easy and homey, and this one is no different. It comes together so quickly and only requires on pan for a whole dish that includes a protein, veggies, and rice.
  • Serious French onion vibes. I love French onion inspired recipes like my French Onion Pot Roast, and I knew I’d have to add the same concept to a chicken dish.

Recipe Ingredients

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

All of the ingredients for French onion chicken and rice.
  • Bone-In, Skin On Chicken Thighs. I think this cut of chicken has the best flavor in this recipe!
  • Ghee. I like using ghee for this recipe because it gives that buttery flavor without the lactose!
  • Gruyere Cheese. You could of course leave off if you don’t tolerate this, but it really gives the French onion flavor!

Substitutions

  • Bone in chicken breast. This is an option that I haven’t tested myself, but it should work. They do tend to be thicker so I would try to cook it on the stove for longer to ensure it cooks through.
  • Chicken broth. Beef broth has much more of a rich flavor that lends itself better to this recipe, but you can also swap in chicken broth in a pinch.

How to make French Onion Chicken & Rice

Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.

Chicken thighs skin side down in pan.

Step one. Pat the chicken thighs dry and lightly season on both sides before placing skin side down in hot pan with oil. 

Chicken thighs after crisping in the pan.

Step two. Allow the thighs to crisp then flip and cook on the other side before setting aside on a clean plate.

Onions in the pan before sauting.

Step three. Add the yellow onions to the pan and saute.

Caramelized onions in a pan.

Step four. Add the coconut sugar and toss to coat. Saute for about another 5 minutes or until the onions are softened and golden brown.

The caramelized onions and toasted rice in a pan.

Step five. Add the jasmine rice and toss to gently toast the rice.

Chicken thighs in the pan before baking.

Step six. Pour in the broth, coconut aminos and white wine vinegar then bring to a low boil and add thyme leaves, bay leaves and ghee. Then transfer the chicken back to the pan.

French onion chicken & rice after coming out of the oven.

Step seven Place the lid on the pan and bake.

French onion chicken and rice after cooking and being topped with cheese, ready to be enjoyed.

Step eight. Remove from the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

  • Speed up the caramelized onions with coconut sugar. Caramelizing onions is a low and slow process, so if you want to speed it up a bit, you can add some coconut sugar as written in the recipe to make it go a bit faster.
  • Leave off the cheese if you’re dairy free. This recipe is still plenty yummy without cheese, trust me!

Recipe FAQS

Can you cook raw chicken and rice at the same time?

Yes, you can! This chicken is cooked a bit ahead of time, but it’s still safe to cook these together as long as the entire dish is cooked through to 165 F.

A French onion chicken thigh being taken out of the pan.

Other Gluten-Free One Pan Chicken Recipes…

If you tried these French Onion Chicken & Rice or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

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French Onion Chicken & Rice

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  • Author: Michelle
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Oven, stovetop
  • Cuisine: Global
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp coconut sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp thyme leaves, divided
  • 2 tsp ghee, sub butter
  • 4 oz shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and lightly season on both sides. 
  2. Using a large, deep oven safe skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Allow to crisp thoroughly until the thighs easily release from the pan, this will take about 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes before setting aside on a clean plate.
  3. Set the oven to preheat to 375 F.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium, adding more oil if needed. Add the yellow onions to the pan and a pinch of salt. Stir the onion for about 15 minutes, allowing to cool slowly. To speed up the process, add the coconut sugar and toss to coat. Saute for about another 5 minutes or until the onions are softened and golden brown.
  5. Add the jasmine rice and toss for 2 minutes to gently toast the rice. Pour in the broth, coconut aminos and white wine vinegar and gently stir. Bring to a low boil and add 1 tsp of thyme leaves, bay leaves and ghee. Transfer the chicken back to the pan, spooning some of the cooking liquid over the chicken.
  6. Place the lid on the pan and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven, and carefully remove the lid. Ensure the rice is cooked and the chicken is 165 F. Top with the shredded cheese and return to the oven, turning the heat up to 400 F. Bake until the cheese is melted.
  8. Top the skillet with more thyme, and serve! 

Notes

  • Speed up the caramelized onions with coconut sugar. Caramelizing onions is a low and slow process, so if you want to speed it up a bit, you can add some coconut sugar as written in the recipe to make it go a bit faster.

  • Leave off the cheese if you’re dairy free. This recipe is still plenty yummy without cheese, trust me!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 491
  • Fat: 24.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 24.7g
  • Fiber: 1.5g
  • Protein: 41.1g