French Onion Chicken Meatballs are nestled in a flavorful sauce made with caramelized onions and cheese. The result is a comforting meal that’s served out of a skillet, and the recipe makes plenty so leftovers are a given.
Is there anything better than caramelized onions? Nope! ..except maybe these French Onion Chicken Meatballs.
See, I love my caramelized onion spaghetti squash (link) of course, but these meatballs are my new favorite. The meatballs are moist, and the sauce is rich in flavor. Basically, if you’re a fan of caramelized onions, this recipe is for you.
Recipe features
- If you combine french onion soup and chicken meatballs, this is what you get! Cheesy deliciousness all combined in one skillet.
- The recipe makes 22 meatballs, so you’ll most likely have leftovers!
- The meatballs are simmered in a tasty sauce, then finished with gruyere cheese, so you know they’re going to be good.
Ingredients
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients; the full ingredient list is below in the recipe card.
Ground chicken – These are chicken meatballs, so ground chicken is the way to go. However, you can substitute ground turkey if you prefer!
Egg – I haven’t tested these without an egg, but if you’d like to make these egg-free, add ¼ cup (any kind) and increase 1 tablespoon at a time as needed.
Breadcrumbs – Plain breadcrumbs make the most sense, but you could use panko breadcrumbs too. Breadcrumbs help hold everything together, and add texture.
Cheese – Grated parmesan cheese is used in the actual meatballs, and gruyere cheese is used on top of the meatballs. Make sure to buy of block of gruyere and grate it by hand.
Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are preferred over garlic powder.
Soy sauce – Or sub Worcestershire sauce or even coconut aminos if you’d like. A little bit goes a long way in adding flavor both to the meatballs and the sauce.
Seasonings – Fresh thyme, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt take boring ground chicken and make it incredibly flavorful.
Butter – I strongly prefer using butter to caramelize onions, but olive oil is another option.
Onions – Sweet onions, and make sure to slice them thinly and evenly so they caramelize at the same rate.
Balsamic vinegar – No substitution; it’s going to give the sauce that delicious umami taste.
Cornstarch – Or sub all purpose flour. This is going to help thicken the sauce ever-so-slightly, which is exactly what we want.
Instructions
Step 1: Caramelize the onions. Begin by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Cook the onions over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft, about 20 minutes. Then, add 2 tablespoons of chicken broth to the skillet and continue cooking the onions until they’re browned and caramelized, about 10-15 more minutes.
Step 2: Combine meatballs ingredients. While the onions are caramelizing, begin making the meatballs. Add the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, soy sauce, thyme, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt and use a wooden spoon to gently mix.
Step 3: Bake the meatballs. Preheat oven to 425 F. Use your hands to scoop the meatballs mixture and roll it into 22 meatballs, placing them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the meatballs for 16-18 minutes.
Step 4: Make the french onion sauce. Once the onions are caramelized, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk the chicken broth, soy sauce, thyme, balsamic, and cornstarch together. Pour the mixture over the onions and stir.
Step 5: Scoop onions over meatballs. Add the meatballs to the skillet, then use a tongs to scoop the onion mixture over the meatballs.
Step 6: Add the cheese. Grate cheese directly over the meatballs, then place a lid on the skillet, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with black pepper and fresh thyme (optional) and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Be sure to caramelize the onions first since they take the longest, then make the meatballs while the onions are cooking to save yourself time.
- What to serve alongside french onion meatballs: air fryer green beans, bone broth rice, cooked egg noodles, mashed potatoes and/or a big house salad.
Tip
For the best caramelized onions, go low and slow. What does this mean? This means, as tempting as it is, don’t rush the process. I used to caramelize onions within 10 minutes (I wish I was kidding) and the result is nowhere near as good. Be prepared for it to take closer to 30-40 over medium-low heat for true caramelized onions.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Freezer: If you plan to freeze these, wait to add the sauce. You can make the onions and the sauce, but store it separately from the meatballs. Otherwise, the meatballs will get very soggy.
More meatball recipes you’ll love
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
French Onion Chicken Meatballs
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Ingredients
For the caramelized onions:
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 sweet onions thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon balsamic
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup gruyere cheese freshly grated
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ⅔ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Start by caramelizing the onions. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’ve softened, about 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, start to make the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 425° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add all of the meatballs ingredients to a large bowl, then use a wooden spoon or your hands to gently combine. Use your hands to scoop the mixture up and roll into 22 meatballs, placing them directly onto the baking sheet.
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Place the meatballs in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes.
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Once the onions have softened, add 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth to the skillet and continue cooking the onions until they’ve browned nicely and are caramelized, about 10-15 more minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
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In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining chicken broth, soy sauce, thyme, balsamic, and cornstarch together. Pour the mixture over the onions and stir to combine.
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Add the meatballs to the skillet with the onions, then use kitchen tongs to scoop some of the onions over the meatballs. Grate the cheese directly over the meatballs, then place a lid on the skillet and simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it’s thickened slightly and the cheese has melted.
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Sprinkle with black pepper and fresh thyme (optional) and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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