First published September 8, 2022. Last updated April 24, 2025 for editorial improvements.
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Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
Tender chicken swimming in a rich, savory onion sauce and smothered with gooey melted cheese? Oh, yes please. This slow cooker classic is comfort food at its laziest (and most delicious)-just five ingredients, one crockpot, and zero fuss. I've been making it for decades, and whether it's headed to the church potluck or the kitchen table, it disappears faster than gossip after Sunday service. It's got all the flavor of French onion soup but with juicy chicken that practically falls apart if you look at it too hard. Bonus: it's freezer-friendly, meal-prep approved, and practically begs for a hunk of crusty bread to mop up every last drop.
🧾 Recipe notes
Swap boneless chicken thighs for white meat chicken breasts. Dark meat adds extra moisture-yum! These French onion pork chops are also really yummy if pork happens to be on sale.
I love the flavor that sweet onions add to the dish, but you could also use Vidalia, white, or yellow onions. Avoid red onions, though.
Crockpot French onion chicken is simple to make with just 5 ingredients. You just lay the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, top with the onions, soup mix, and soup and cook on low. Add cheese just before serving and you're all set for one of the most delicious dinners you'll ever cook.
Finally, if you've got an extra few minutes, transfer the cheese-topped chicken to an oven-safe dish or large skillet and broil it under high heat. This will give the cheese a toasty, golden-brown, bubbly finish!
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or thighs
- 1 cup onion, sliced
- 10.5 ounces French onion soup, condensed
- 1 ounce onion soup mix
- 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken in a single layer.
- Cover with the chopped onions.
- Sprinkle on the onion soup mix and add the condensed French onion soup.
- Cover and set slow cooker to low for 8 hours.
- 30 minutes before you're ready to serve sprinkle on the Swiss cheese. Put the cover back on and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and chicken shreds easily with a fork.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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📖 Variations
- If you're in the mood, indulge in the more classic Gruyere cheese. Of course, I'm a firm believer in cost-effective ingredients, so we use Swiss instead. Or, in a pinch, you can go for mozzarella cheese.
- Use a mix of Swiss and Gruyere cheese for a richer, more complex flavor.
- Add some fresh thyme leaves to the top of the crockpot before cooking.
- Creamier. For a creamier crockpot French onion chicken, whisk a few teaspoons of cornstarch into the onion soup before cooking. It'll help the sauce thicken a bit more.
- Bake it. Swap the crockpot for a casserole dish. Combine all the ingredients in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees F for around 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Or course, a large chicken breast will need a longer cook time than a thin one.
No time to cook? Give this easy French onion meatballs recipe a try! We love it and it takes just 20 minutes!
🥫 Make French onion chicken into an easy freezer meal
Prep ahead & freeze
You can prep crockpot French onion chicken in advance to make an easy freezer meal. Simply place all the ingredients (except the cheese) into a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to three months.
Thaw & cook
Let the bag of ingredients thaw in the fridge for a day or so before you plan to make it. Then, when you're ready to cook, empty the bag into your crockpot and go!
Add the cheese as directed in the recipe card.
🍽️ Serve with...
I like to serve these tangy, smoky Southern Green Beans, creamy au gratin potatoes , and Dutch Apple Pie, warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on the top. Add Apple Cider Sangria and you'll feel like you've eaten at a tiny French country inn!
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
Don't let those leftovers go to waste!
- Shred the chicken and mix with the sauce for a delicious sandwich filling. Serve on a baguette.
- Use the leftovers as a topping for baked potatoes or a pizza base.
- Add beef stock and make a hearty French onion and chicken soup.
I love this recipe because it just reminds me of crisp fall days and cozy nights! Honestly we love it all year, though.
This French onion chicken, slow cooker chicken parmesan, and the crockpot angel chicken all show up in my meal rotations several times a month!
Kristen says
My mom always made the soup, but I never would've thought to combine it with chicken! Your french onion chicken slow cooker recipe looks like a fall and winter staple!
Cynthia says
This french onion chicken crock pot recipe is delicious! I'm especially pleased that it only has a 5 minute prep time!
Brittany says
I love French onion soup but it never feels hearty or satisfying enough... your French onion chicken crock pot recipe does!
Lisa says
Very easy to make. Chicken is super tender and flavorful. I used my casserole crock pot to avoid overlapping the chicken. I also used boneless skinless chicken breast. Served with roasted tri color mini potatoes, but any type of potato, rice or egg noodles would work really well.
Marye says
Thanks Lisa - glad you liked it.
Myra says
So easy! The dish was scrumptious and my mother could enjoy it because it was soft and tender. A Win in my book!