This Chicken French Onion Soup, slow cooker recipe is comfort food at its best—deep, rich flavors, tender shredded chicken, and a golden, cheesy baguette on top. This an easy but impressive meal for any night of the week!
There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of French Onion Soup, with gooey melted cheese. But what if we made it heartier, easier, and even more satisfying? Enter Chicken French Onion Soup in the Slow Cooker! This is a set-it-and-forget-it recipe that transforms simple ingredients into a cozy, flavor-packed meal.
This is the kind of dinner that feels fancy but couldn’t be simpler to make. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, allowing the onions to develop their signature sweetness while the chicken becomes irresistibly tender. And of course, it wouldn’t be French Onion Soup without a golden, cheesy baguette floating on top, bubbling with melty Gruyère.
Whether you’re looking for a comforting weeknight meal or a dinner that will impress, this Chicken French Onion Soup is a must-try!
Jump to:
- French Onion Soup Turned into an Easy Dinner
- Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
- Simple Equipment for Chicken French Onion
- Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps
- Talking Tip!
- Cooking Steps for Chicken French Onion Soup in Slow Cooker
- Variations on Chicken French Onion Soup
- Chicken French Onion Soup Recipe FAQs
- Want More Recipes like this?
- Chicken French Onion Soup in a Slow Cooker Recipe
- Comments
French Onion Soup Turned into an Easy Dinner
I love to serve this French Onion Chicken over rice to make it an even more hearty family dinner. You can also serve it over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Here are several reasons why busy families will love this Chicken French Onion Soup in the Slow Cooker:
- Perfect for Busy Nights: Whether it’s a packed weekday or a lazy Sunday, this soup is warm, satisfying, and ready when you are.
- Set It and Forget It: Toss everything into the slow cooker in the morning, and dinner practically cooks itself while you go about your day.
- Family-Friendly Comfort: The rich, savory broth with tender chicken and cheesy baguette topping makes it a cozy, crowd-pleasing meal for both kids and adults.
- Make Ahead & Reheat: It tastes even better the next day, so you can make it ahead and enjoy stress-free leftovers.
- Customizable: Skip the bread for a lower-carb French Onion Chicken option, add extra veggies for more nutrition, or spice it up with a dash of hot sauce.
Do you meal plan your dinners? It makes weeknights so much easier! Check out my Meal Planning Theme Night Recipes and then add this one to your Slow Cooker Saturdays meal planning calendar!
Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
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- Boneless skinless Chicken Breasts – I used breasts, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. I always have raw chicken breasts in the freezer as they can last up to 12 months if in an airtight container or packaging. Check out all of my tips on Prepping and Storing Chicken for Easier Dinners.
- Beef or Chicken Broth or Stock – Beef broth will give this that nice deep color and flavor, but chicken and vegetable broth or stock all work. You can also use water mixed with a beef or chicken bouillon cube or beef base or chicken base. French onion soup mix can also be added for more deep onion flavor or replace some of the broth with a condensed French onion soup.
- Yellow onions – I used yellow onion as it’s a milder sweet onion, but you can use white onion, red onion, vidalia, or any combination. If you don’t have fresh onion, you can frozen sliced onion as well.
- Garlic – Fresh is best in this simple recipe, but you can buy the pre-minced garlic sold in a small jar or use dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
- Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire is my secret ingredient that really brings deep flavor. If you don’t have this, you can substitute Soy sauce.
- Bay leaf – I used dry, but you can also use fresh.
- Baguette – Crusty bread is what you want for this crockpot French Onion Chicken. A baguette size works well for serving. If you have a wider bread than cut it into smaller pieces.
- Gruyere or Swiss cheese – Gruyere is the traditional cheese used in French onion soup. Any melting cheese will work, such as mozzarella, monterey jack, or cheddar.
- Optional for garnish Fresh Italian Parsley
See recipe card for quantities.
Simple Equipment for Chicken French Onion
For this French onion chicken recipe, you will need a slow cooker. I love to make this recipe in my Crock Pot. However, you could also make it in the oven in a dutch oven or small roasting pan with a lid.
Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)
This soup can be made entirely ahead. But you can also just prepare the onion.
Peel and cut the onions in half from stem to top. Then thinly slice. Store the slices in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook.
Talking Tip!
You can also freeze sliced or diced raw onion and store them in the freezer for up to 9 months in an airtight container. Then simply add them frozen to stews, soups, sauces, or str fries.
You can mince the garlic ahead as well.
Cooking Steps for Chicken French Onion Soup in Slow Cooker
To the slow cooker insert, add the chicken breasts, onions, garlic, and seasonings. Give the mixture a stir.
Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and broth. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-6 hours, depending on your schedule.
While the chicken and onions are cooking, you can slice the baguette and bake for 5-8 minutes just to toast slightly.
Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly, shred the chicken.
Add the chicken back to the crockpot.
Place sliced baguette over the top of the Chicken French Onion Soup.
Top the baguette with cheese and place the cover back on so the cheese can melt.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, serve as a soup or over rice, and enjoy!
Variations on Chicken French Onion Soup
If you love Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken Soup, there are plenty of ways to tweak the recipe to suit your taste! Here are some fun and flavorful variations:
- Creamy Soup – Stir in ½ cup heavy cream or cream cheese at the end of cooking for a richer, velvety texture. Or replace some of the broth with cream of chicken soup.
- Earthy and Herby – Add mushrooms for an earthy depth of flavor then elevate the flavor with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage.
- Low Carb – Skip the traditional bread and opt for cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles as a hearty alternative.
Chicken French Onion Soup Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use any bread that you want. Toasting it helps it to keep it’s shape when soaking up the liquid vs. falling apart into the soup.
Yellow onions are the best choice because they caramelize beautifully and have a balanced sweetness. If you prefer a milder flavor, try Vidalia onions, and for a deeper, more robust taste, mix in some red onions.
Traditional Gruyère is the gold standard for French onion soup, but you can also use Swiss, Provolone, Mozzarella, or even a mix of Parmesan and Cheddar for different flavor profiles.
Want More Recipes like this?
More hearty meals, prepared in the Slow Cooker and on the Stovetop, make great family dinners. Check out my popular dishes below!
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Chicken French Onion Soup in a Slow Cooker Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker or Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
- 3 cups Beef Broth or chicken Broth (or stock)
- 3 Yellow onions
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Baguette
- 8 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, sliced or shredded
- Optional for garnish Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
Instructions
Prep Ahead Steps
- Peel and cut the onions in half and then slice. Mince the garlic.
- Slice the baguette into 1" thick pieces and place the slices on a sheet pan. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes just to toast slightly.
Cooking Steps
- To the slow cooker insert pot, add the chicken breasts, broth, onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then make sure the chicken is submerged. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours (or low for 8 hours, depending on your schedule).
- When the chicken is done cooking, remove it, shred it using two forks and then add it back to the slow cooker, mix with the onions, and then submerge back into the cooking liquid. Top with a layer of the toasted baguette slices and then press them down about half way to soak up the liquid. Last top with cheese. Place the top back on the slow cooker and cook on high for 20-30 more, just until the cheese is melted.
- Serve by itself or over rice or noodles and enjoy!
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