Girls’ Night IN!
In our 20s, galentine’s day would have been an excuse to bar hop with our whole crew until the wee hours. But, now that we’re busy with kids and work and all of the demands of adult life, although we crave time with our friends more than ever, it can be so hard to come by. Gathering a group of close friends is no small feat—with everyone’s busy schedules, just picking a date can be tricky. But once you’ve locked it in—hundreds of text messages later—you want to make sure that you can get the most out of your time together. And nothing encourages connection and conviviality more than gathering around a cozy meal. When we host a girls’ night in, our checklist looks like this:
- Lots of fresh flowers! (easy to grab—vases, too!)
- Wine (duh) like prosecco, Champagne and a good, hearty French red wine, as well as some good non-alcoholic options, too. We always at least have bubbly water handy, and if we’re feeling ambitious we like to offer a mocktail, too.
- A solid playlist, because a party without music is just awkward. Play whatever you like, but remember that you want something people can easily converse over. We usually keep it classic—think Eartha Kitt and Ella Fitzgerald.
What You’ll Need to Make French Onion Chicken
You love French onion soup, right? Insanely savory and covered in gooey cheese, what’s not to love?! Well, French onion chicken is basically French onion soup, made into a hearty one pot dish. It’s easy to love, and it’s nearly a meal unto itself—just add some crusty bread and a small side salad and you’re good to go! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken thighs. We prefer bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, because they’re so flavorful. But this recipe can be made with boneless, skinless thighs if that’s your preference.
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Onions
- Fresh thyme
- Bay leaf
- Garlic cloves
- Dry white wine. We used Sauvignon Blanc, but any dry white wine that you like to drink is great.
- Beef Stock
- High-quality Swiss cheese, like Gruyère or Comté.
How to Make French Onion Chicken Casserole
This easy chicken thigh recipe cooks in just one skillet, but you’ll need a big one and one that can go from stove top to the oven. Cast iron is ideal, but anything oven-safe will work. Here’s how to make French onion soup chicken!
- Brown the chicken thighs.
- Caramelize the onions! The key is not to rush—patience makes perfect. For more info about caramelized onions, check out our how-to guide here.
- Season the caramelized onions and deglaze the pan with the wine (and if you “sample” the wine as you cook, we fully endorse that.)
- Pour in the stock and give the whole delicious thing a simmer.
- Add the chicken thighs to the pan and move the chicken thigh bake to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes. Reminder! With chicken thighs, you’re looking for an internal temp of 170°F to indicate doneness.
- Cover the chicken thighs with cheese and broil (just as you would with French onion soup) until the cheese is bubbling and melty.
Tools You’ll Need:
More Chicken Thigh Recipes to Try
They’re just as healthy as chicken breasts, and so much more flavorful. Are you convinced yet? Here are four of our favorite, go-to chicken thigh recipes.
Galentine’s? Valentine’s? Or Just Another Tuesday.
Whenever you serve this easy French onion chicken recipe, we want to hear about it! Snap a photo of your chicken thigh bake and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
