This high-protein, French Onion Chicken Soup, made with caramelized onions, rich bone broth and a layer of golden, bubbly cheese is perfect if you are craving a delicious cozy dinner.
French Onion Chicken Soup
There’s something undeniably comforting about a hot bowl of French onion soup. This main dish soup takes my classic French Onion Soup recipe and adds extra protein with chicken and bone broth (40 grams protein) and it’s delicious! My husband loved it! If you love those flavors, I also have this French Onion Chicken Skillet dinner with the same flavors, minus the broth!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I had the idea to add more protein to my French onion soup by adding chicken and using bone broth, which turned out amazing. Tommy is always rating it at restaurants when we go out because it’s his favorite, and he said this French onion chicken soup now ranks at the top of his list!
- High in Protein: With tender chicken as the star, this soup is filling and packed with protein.
- Deep, Savory Flavor: Caramelized onions, a rich broth, and fresh herbs make it a standout dish.
- One-Pot Wonder: Minimal cleanup and maximum flavor make it a perfect weeknight dinner.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free (if using GF flour and bread), high-protein, dairy-free (if omitting cheese)
If you make this healthy French onion chicken soup recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!
Ingredients and Tips
This version uses the traditional French onion soup ingredients but adds chicken and bone broth for a protein boost. The recipe card below contains the exact measurements.
- Onions: Since onions are the main event, I like to use a combo of sweet onions and shallots. They slowly cook, becoming sweeter as they caramelize.
- Salt and Olive Oil: Cook the onions in olive oil and season with salt.
- Flour thickens the broth.
- Light White Wine: I recently discovered Kim Crawford Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc, which has fewer calories and is still delicious. However, any dry white will work.
- Sherry Vinegar: Sherry wine is typically found in French onion soup, but since we’re using white wine, I opted for sherry vinegar here for added depth.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves impart flavor as they simmer in the broth.
- Chicken Bone Broth increases the protein in this recipe.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are tender and great here but chicken breasts will work.
- Bread and Cheese: French onion soup is always topped with toasted cheesy bread. I like it with sliced baguette or sourdough and Gruyere or Swiss cheese. You can skip the bread if you want to make this low carb and let the cheese float at the top before melting.
How to Make French Onion Chicken Soup
While caramelizing the onions and simmering the chicken do take a while, most of the time is hands-off, so you can prep the other ingredients or do dishes while you wait. The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions, shallots, and salt on medium-low heat until the onions are soft and golden. Cover the pot between stirring to create steam to prevent them from getting too dry.
- Add the Flour and Wine: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the wine, sherry vinegar, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered to reduce the alcohol.
- Cook the Chicken: Add the bone broth and chicken and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot.
- How to Serve the Soup: Add more salt if needed and remove the herbs. Ladle the soup into 6 oven-proof bowls and place them on a baking sheet.
- Broil the Bread and Cheese: Place the toasted bread on top of each bowl and sprinkle with cheese. Put the tray in the oven on the second rack from the top and broil on low until the cheese melts.
Variations
- Onions: Try it with any mix of onions, such as Vidalia, white, yellow, or red.
- Skip the Wine and add extra broth.
- Vinegar: Substitute red wine vinegar.
- Herbs: Swap thyme with rosemary.
- Try Different Proteins: Replace chicken with shredded beef for a richer flavor.
- Broth: Use regular chicken broth or stock if you don’t have bone broth.
- Cheese: Substitute fontina, mozzarella, or provolone. Alpine Lace also makes a good reduced-fat Swiss cheese if you want a lighter option.
- Keep It Dairy-Free: Omit the cheese.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour and bread. You can also omit the bread.
- Go Low-Carb: Skip the bread and let the cheese float at the top, then broil until it melts.
- Make Cheesy Croutons if you don’t have oven-safe bowls. Sprinkle the bread with salt and pepper and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cheese and return to the oven until it’s melted.
Serving Suggestions
Storage
- Refrigerate the soup for 4 days.
- Freeze leftovers without the cheese and bread for 3 months in 2-cup glass containers or Souper Cubes. Thaw in the fridge the day before eating.
- Reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave. Then, follow the steps for broiling the bread and cheese. You can skip this step if you’re taking the soup with you to work or are short on time.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
For more dinner ideas check out my Soup Recipes collection, plus these five delicious soup recipes to inspire your next meal!
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- 4 cups sweet onion, thinly sliced (from 4 medium/large)
- 2 cups shallot, thinly sliced (from about 4)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 2/3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, or gluten-free flour
- ¼ cup light white wine, se note above
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken bone broth, I used Swanson Chicken Bone Broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, or chicken breast
- 6 slices baguette, or sourdough bread, 1/2 ounces each* toasted
- 12 thin slices Gruyere cheese , or Swiss cheese, 6 ounces total
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In a Dutch oven, or large heavy pot, sauté the onions and shallots with the butter and salt over medium to medium-low heat, until the onions are soft and golden, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often. You can cover them in between stirring to generate steam so they do not get too try dry. You want them caramelized but not browned.
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Add the flour and mix, cooking another 2-3 minutes. Add the white wine, sherry vinegar, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered to reduce the alcohol, about 10 minutes.
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Add the chicken bone broth and chicken. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes.
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Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return back to soup. Taste for salt at this point and adjust to you taste as needed. Remove bay leaves and thyme; ladle 1-½ cups soup into 6 oven-proof bowls.
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Place bowls on a baking sheet. Place sliced toasted bread rounds into each bowl and top bread with cheese. Broil on low on the 2nd rack from the top, until cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes.½
Last Step:
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- Spray the bottom of a baking sheet with cooking spray & place bread on in an even layer.
- Add salt (would need to add ¼ teaspoon salt) & freshly ground black pepper.
- Toast in the oven 5-7 minutes. Add the cheese and melt on top of croutons, another 2-3 minutes!
- Serve over the soup with cheesy croutons on top.
Serving: 1 ½ cups, Calories: 437 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 40 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 115.5 mg, Sodium: 938 mg, Fiber: 4.5 g, Sugar: 9 g
