I Tried Grandbaby Cakes’ French Onion Sheet Pan Chicken Recipe and It’s Guaranteed to Make You the Talk of the Table

If there’s one thing I won’t deny that I love, it’s chicken. From fried to baked, chicken is one of the most versatile items, and I’m always open to trying it in a new way. Although versatility is never a question when it comes to the poultry option (you can literally eat it at any time of the day), there are plenty of ways that I haven’t thought of to have it yet. Case in point? A French onion-style sheet pan chicken.

Pulled from the newest cookbook from Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby Cakes, titled Everyday Grand, the French onion sheet pan chicken recipe is a new spin on an old classic that I couldn’t wait to try. Packed with an immense amount of flavor, the chicken can be paired perfectly with a variety of sides — from a simple salad to creamy garlic mashed potatoes to Broccolini.

It seemed like an easy-enough recipe to show off my skills in the kitchen, so I knew I had to put it to the test. The result? A tender and delicious dish that made me the talk of the table. 

Start by preheating your oven to 450°F. While that’s preheating, whisk together beef stock and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and smoked paprika. 

Next, wash your chicken thighs and pat dry. Lightly brush a coat of olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet pan and sprinkle generously with your seasoning mixture. Then, place the chicken in your oiled pan — skin-side up — and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the top of the chicken.

Take your stock mixture and pour it around the chicken, being sure to not coat the top (so as to not wash off your seasoning). Then pop the chicken thighs in the now-heated oven, and roast for 20 minutes. While your chicken is cooking, in a medium-size skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and some butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add chopped onions and granulated sugar with a pinch of salt. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until your onions are a light caramel color. Next, you’ll add thyme, stirring until fragrant, before combining sherry, dry vermouth, or white wine, freshly chopped parsley, and garlic cloves in a small bowl. 

Remove your chicken from the oven and evenly pour your sherry mixture over it. Divide your caramelized onions and Gruyère cheese over each chicken thigh before placing them back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.  Once removed, let rest for 5 minutes and enjoy!

This recipe is definitely one for the books and I really enjoyed creating it. Although there were a lot of ingredients needed to make it come to life, the end result made it all worth it. The chicken thighs came out very juicy and packed with a lot of flavor. With all of that flavor. I wanted to pair the chicken thighs with something just as enjoyable, so I opted to pair with garlic mashed potatoes and Broccolini. 

While the side dishes were a great option and made the chicken stand out, in the future, I would love to try this recipe on a grill to deliver the smoky flavor and take the taste up a notch.

• Prep your ingredients in advance. Because there are a few moving parts to this recipe, you’ll want to be sure to prep your ingredients prior to starting the cooking process to make it easier.
• You can keep it simple with the side dish. While I opted to make the garlic mashed potatoes and the Broccolini, you can keep it as simple as white rice for your side. The flavor is plentiful in the chicken, so just about anything you choose will be a complementary side dish.