Description
A comforting French Onion Meatball Skillet combining tender chicken meatballs baked to perfection, nestled in a rich, caramelized onion and beef broth sauce, topped with melted Gruyère cheese. This hearty dish offers the flavors of classic French onion soup in an easy-to-make one-pan meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground chicken or turkey
- ½ onion, minced
- ½ cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the French Onion Soup Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry sherry or white wine (optional)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, preparing for possibly two batches of meatballs.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, minced onion, shredded Gruyère and mozzarella cheeses, bread crumbs, minced garlic, beaten eggs, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper until fully mixed.
- Form and bake meatballs: Shape the mixture into approximately 32 meatballs and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Remove and set aside.
- Start sauce with onions: In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add thinly sliced onions and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.
- Caramelize onions: Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and butter to the onions. Continue cooking, stirring regularly to prevent burning, until onions are very soft and golden-brown, approximately 30-45 minutes for best flavor.
- Add garlic and deglaze: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add dry sherry or white wine, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Allow the alcohol to reduce by half.
- Simmer sauce: Pour in beef broth, add minced fresh thyme, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Combine meatballs and cheese: Place baked meatballs into the skillet with the sauce. Sprinkle shredded Gruyère cheese over the top, cover with a lid, and cook until meatballs are warmed through and cheese is melted, about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh thyme if desired and serve warm with fresh bread or creamy mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Caramelizing onions is a slow process; allowing at least 30 minutes results in soft, golden onions, but 45 minutes yields the most flavorful caramelization over medium to medium-low heat.
- Extra meatballs can be frozen for later use.
- Optional broil step: After adding cheese and covering the skillet, place an oven-safe skillet under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to get the cheese bubbly and golden.
- Substitute dry sherry or white wine with extra beef broth if desired.
- Ground turkey, chicken, beef, pork, or lamb can be used interchangeably for meatballs.
- Cheese alternatives include Swiss, Asiago, or white cheddar in place of Gruyère and mozzarella.
- Make the recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free bread crumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
