Let Me Tell You a Story About Onion Soup Gravy Chicken Skillet…
This dish actually started as a bit of a kitchen accident for me—one of those days where dinner crept up outta nowhere and all I had were some chicken thighs, a dusty packet of onion soup mix, and a serious craving for something cozy (weather was all drizzly and my patience was thin). I figured, why not mash up onion soup flavor with a chicken skillet and see what happened? Let’s just say it quickly became that recipe that gets everyone to the table with minimal whining. And not to be dramatic, but when the smell hit the hallway my teenager stopped mid-scroll to investigate—actual magic. Anyway, let’s get into it!
Why You’ll Love Making This
I make this when I just can’t be fussed with fancy, multi-step cooking or more than one dirty pan (let’s be real, who wants more dishes at the end of the day?). My crew goes nuts for it because the onion soup gravy is basically drinkable—I caught my partner licking the spoon once. Also, it’s basically foolproof; like, I once burned the bottom a little because I was distracted by a neighbor’s dog doing zoomies in the backyard, and it was still delicious (with slightly crunchy bits, but kind of in a good way). If you like recipes where you mostly dump and stir, this is it—no judgment.
What You’ll Need (And What I Swap Sometimes)
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on) – Breasts work too (just cook ’em a tad less); or use boneless, but you’ll miss out on some juiciness.
- 1 packet of onion soup mix – My gran swears by Lipton but I use whatever’s on sale, Aldi’s is fine.
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth – Stock cubes and water work surprisingly well if you’re out of broth, honestly.
- 1 tablespoon flour – Or cornstarch if you want it gluten free (I ran out once and potato starch worked).
- 2 tablespoons butter – Margarine works, or a glug of olive oil if you must.
- 1 onion, thinly sliced – I sometimes sneak in half a bell pepper if it’s languishing in the fridge; nobody notices.
- Black pepper, to taste – Fresh cracked is nice, but do what you want.
- Fresh parsley or chives (optional for garnish) – Purely so you can feel fancy.
How I Throw It Together
- Heat up a large skillet (medium-high) and plop in the butter. When it foams, toss in the onions. Stir ‘em around till they get kinda soft and golden; it’ll smell wild at this point.
Sidebar: If you forget and scorch them a little, it’s fine. Call it rustic, blame the dog. - Push onions to the side, add chicken thighs skin-side down. Let ‘em sizzle undisturbed for 5-7 mins; you’re after crispy skin, trust me. Flip ‘em and give the other side a turn for another couple minutes.
This is about where I sneak a taste of onion, just to check, you know? - Sprinkle the flour right into the pan and stir everything together so it soaks up the juices (it might look like a mess, don’t sweat it—this is normal!).
- Pour in the chicken broth and dump in the onion soup mix. Scrape up any brown bits if things stuck a bit. Bring the whole thing to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover. Let it go for 20-25 mins, until the chicken’s cooked through and the gravy is thickish.
- If you like your gravy thicker, whisk a little more flour or cornstarch with a splash of water and stir it in—don’t just dump dry flour, trust me, learned that one the gluey way.
- Remove from heat. Throw some parsley or chives on top just ‘cause. Stir, taste, salt if you fancy (the soup mix is usually plenty salty for me).
A Few Things I’ve Figured Out the Hard Way
- If you have scrawny chicken pieces, check them early—overcooked chicken is the enemy.
- Once I forgot to cover the pan and everything reduced too far, so now I cover it, but if you like super thick gravy, leave it off for the last few mins.
- Honestly, the cheap soup mixes taste just as good here. I spent extra once and nobody even noticed.
- It actually tastes better the next day (if it lasts that long!)
Variations I’ve Tried (or Regretted)
- Pork chops instead of chicken—actually works! Only takes about 15 mins to cook.
- Mushrooms tossed in with the onions—major flavor booster if you’re into it; my kids aren’t so I usually skip.
- One time I tried adding sour cream at the end for tang, but, eh, made it weirdly thick and almost grainy. Wouldn’t do that again, but maybe crème fraîche or just a splash of cream would be better?
- If you want to go vegetarian, swap the chicken for thick-sliced tofu and use veggie broth. It’s not quite the same (I mean, let’s not lie), but still comforting.
Stuff You’ll Need (But Don’t Panic If You Don’t Have It)
- A large skillet—nonstick or cast iron is great, I honestly use whatever’s clean.
- A lid (or use a big sheet of foil if your pan lid went missing—I know the pain).
- Sharp knife for the onions, but you could tear the onions with your hands if you’re feeling feral, I won’t judge.
How to Store It (If You Have Leftovers, Miraculously)
Scoop leftovers into a lidded container and stick in the fridge. Should last up to 3 days, but—honestly?—in my house, getting to day two is basically unheard of. Haven’t tried freezing, but I reckon the gravy might get weird, so maybe just eat it all up!
How I Like To Serve It (Plus Traditions)
I love this plopped on top of buttery mashed potatoes (lumps welcome), but rice or even a hunk of crusty bread for sopping does the trick. My lot insists on peas on the side; I grew up having it with green beans because apparently, that’s how you balance a meal (or so my mum says) — but honestly, any veg will do in a pinch.
If I Could Give You Just One Piece of Advice
I rushed that browning step once — chicken didn’t get crispy and the skin got kinda floppy. Take your time (put on a song or two while you wait). Oh and don’t pour the soup mix in too fast — sprinkle it, or it’ll clump; learned the hard way.
FAQs, Just in Case You’re Wondering
- Can I use chicken breasts? Yep, but cook them less long — they dry out quicker. I usually check after 15 mins.
- Is this spicy? Not unless your soup mix is wild, but you can add a pinch of chili if you’re feeling zesty.
- I’m out of chicken broth. What now? Water and a stock cube (or even just water if you must). Actually, I did plain water once and it was still tasty, just maybe toss in a splash of soy sauce for extra oomph.
- Can you reheat it? For sure! Sometimes I think it’s even better the next day (the flavors settle in after a night in the fridge).
- Do I have to garnish? Nah. I only do when company’s coming or if I want it to look like I made an effort for Instagram (which, let’s be real, is rare).
So there it is! If you ever make it, let me know how it goes, unless it’s a total disaster — in that case, tell me anyway, we can swap kitchen fails (mine involve an exploding hand mixer, but that’s for another day).
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 packet (1 oz) dry onion soup mix
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
-
1Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
-
2Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
-
3Add the sliced onion to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized.
-
4Sprinkle flour over the onions, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly, and add the dry onion soup mix.
-
5Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the onion gravy. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the gravy has thickened.
-
6Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve hot.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
