FRENCH ONION CHICKEN
French onion chicken – like French onion soup, but a little more substantial and gourmet!
Juicy pan fried chicken thighs are topped with melty gruyere cheese and nestled into rich, sticky caramelised onions.
The super creamy, reduced carb cauliflower and potato mash is a great match. I can honestly say I prefer it to regular mashed potatoes.
The blend of cauliflower and potato purées beautifully – if you try to do this with just potatoes, you end up with a sticky, gluey mess. This version is melt in your mouth delicious, AND it’s healthier!
A scattering of baby spinach adds the finishing touch. A much needed pop of green amongst all that beige.
FRENCH ONION CHICKEN
French onion chicken - like French onion soup, but a little more substantial! The super creamy, lower carb cauliflower mash is a great match for this gourmet meal.
Ingredients
MASH
- 400 g potatoes (i.e. Agria) (14oz)
- 1/2 cauliflower
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp milk
CHICKEN
- 3 brown onions
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme, divided
- 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1lb 5oz)
- 2 Tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 1 cup boiling water (250ml)
- 4 slices gruyere or Swiss cheese (80g/2.8oz)
TO SERVE
- 80 g baby spinach (2.8oz)
Instructions
PREPARE MASH INGREDIENTS
Peel potatoes, cut into 2-3cm / 1in chunks and rinse. Cut cauliflower into florets. Place cauliflower and potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water.
PREPARE CHICKEN
Thinly slice onions and crush garlic. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large, non-stick frying pan on medium heat until bubbling. Add onions, garlic, vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until sticky and caramelised. Add a splash of water if needed.
Meanwhile, season chicken generously with salt and pepper and toss with cornflour, oregano and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme.
At this point, bring cauliflower and potatoes to the boil and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove onions from pan into a bowl. Increase heat to medium-high and melt remaining tablespoon butter. Pan fry chicken for 4-5 minutes each side, until golden brown and almost cooked through.
Add beef stock and onions to pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through and stock has reduced a little (about 10 minutes). Top chicken with cheese, cover pan with a lid and cook until cheese has melted (about 2 minutes).
SERVE
Drain potatoes and cauliflower well. Add butter and milk and mash until smooth (use a stick blender for a super creamy texture). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide mash between warmed serving plates, scatter with baby spinach and top with chicken.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: Try a Viognier.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use gluten-free cornflour and stock cube.
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: You can use all cauliflower (1 whole) or all potatoes (800g / 1lb 12oz) in the mash if you prefer, but I strongly recommend the combination! Use Edam or Colby cheese if you don’t like the flavour of Swiss / gruyere.
STORING AND REHEATING: Store individual portions in containers in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. You can add spinach after heating if you prefer, but it’s also nice heated / wilted.
