French Onion Chicken Meatballs

By Makinze GoreUpdated: Mar 28, 2024

4.6

48 Ratings

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preview for These Chicken Meatballs Have Everything You Love About French Onion Soup

We’ll be honest: we’re a little obsessed with French onion soup. The melty cheese, jammy caramelized onions, and rich broth is a flavor combination we just can’t get enough of, from the classic soup to French onion chicken and French onion soup bites. To turn the flavors of this favorite into a substantial meal (or hearty appetizer), we added chicken meatballs and even more cheese in this skillet recipe.

Gruyère not only tops our meatballs in this recipe but goes into the mixture, making the entire dish extra cheesy. Serve these meatballs with risotto, orzo, or with crusty bread to make this a weeknight dinner, or on their own for a party appetizer to remember.

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

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Yields:: 4 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 15 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr 15 mins
Cal/Serv:: 649

Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil, for baking sheet
1 lb.
ground chicken
1/2 c.
shredded Gruyère
1/4 c.
bread crumbs
2 tbsp.
freshly chopped parsley
1
large egg, beaten
2
cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp.
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

4 tbsp.
butter
2
large onions, thinly sliced
2
cloves garlic, minced
2 c.
low-sodium beef broth
2 tsp.
freshly chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 c.
shredded Gruyère

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large baking sheet with foil and rub with oil.
2. Step 2Make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Gruyère, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 16 meatballs, then place on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden and cooked through, 25 minutes.
3. Step 3Meanwhile make sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook until very soft and golden, 25 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add broth and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until slightly thickened, 10 minutes.
4. Step 4Add meatballs to skillet and sprinkle with Gruyère. Cover and cook until meatballs are warmed through and cheese is melty, 5 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with thyme.