French Herb Baked Chicken (GF)

If you are looking for a change-of-pace chicken dinner, have I got a good one for you to try! French Herb Baked Chicken is creamy, rich, packed with flavor from the herbs, and topped with melted cheese. Plus it is quick and easy to make! What’s not to love?!!

It only takes a few minutes to assemble the dish and then it is hands-off until just before serving. So simple with ingredients you likely already have in your cupboard.

When I was young our neighbors had a pool and they were generous enough to let us use it occasionally. What a treat! The Fishers were incredibly kind to me and my brothers. We spent many happy summers between our house and theirs.

At one point I was over there around lunch time and Mrs. Fisher invited to join her and a friend to enjoy some chicken she had made. It smelled incredible and I happily took a bite. I had never tasted anything like it – rich, cheesy, and incredibly delicious. I asked her how she made it and she kindly wrote out the recipe for me. It was called “Uncle George’s Chicken” and was the best thing I had ever tasted!

My mother was great at getting healthy dinners on the table every single night. Unfortunately, mom used little more than just salt and pepper as seasonings. She wasn’t an adventurous cook but we loved her meals. Tasting Mrs. Fisher’s chicken made with bold herbs was an awakening for me.

I have made this chicken over the years and always think of Mrs. Fisher with a smile. She began my journey of exploration of herbs and seasonings, becoming more daring as I grew older. I was never afraid to try a new recipe out of my mother’s Joy of Cooking and luckily the mixing of herbs and spices came pretty naturally to me.

This French Herb Baked Chicken was a revelation for me as a child and is still an easy, quick (if you use boneless chicken), and delicious dinner your entire family will love.

Be sure you buy a gluten-free can of cream of mushroom soup for this recipe if needed. Many commercial brands contain gluten. Pacific Foods makes one that is good, safe, and you can find it in a number of stores as well as online.

If you can’t find Fines Herbs in your grocery store, you can order it from penzeys.com. They also sell a very similar blend under the Parisien Bonnes Herbes label. Both are delicious and good on many proteins and salads.

If you have picky eaters who can’t stand the flavor of wine, just substitute with chicken stock. Problem solved!

I used boneless chicken breasts this time because I couldn’t find bone-in pieces. I just adapted the baking time, reducing it per the directions in the note at the bottom of the recipe. It worked perfectly!

If you don’t already have an instant-read thermometer, you really ought to put it on your wish list. They work for all meats (including this chicken), candy making, cakes, cheesecakes, etc. I can’t imagine being without mine – I use it all the time!

I love how you put together the sauce ingredients and with a quick boil, it is ready to coat the chicken. Then into the oven it goes to bake giving you time to get the rest of dinner prepped and made. Absolutely perfect!

I hope you try this recipe soon and love every bite! It couldn’t be easier to make and be sure to have some rice or potatoes to help soak up the delicious sauce!

Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you back here for the next Chocolate Monday and the beginning of June! Where has the year gone?

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for French Herb Baked Chicken:

• Chicken, gluten-free cream of mushroom soup, milk, Fines herbs, tarragon, salt, pepper, wine or gluten-free chicken broth, grated cheese

 

PRO Tip:

If you are using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, they will be done in 20 to 30 minutes when they reach 160°F (71°C) in the center on an instant read thermometer. If you are using boneless, skinless thighs, it will take 35 to 45 minutes. You are looking for 165°F to 170°F (74°C to 77°C) in the center.

 

How to make French Herb Baked Chicken:

1. Place the chicken pieces in a casserole or baking dish in a single layer.
2. Combine the soup, milk, herbs, salt, pepper, and wine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly then remove from the heat. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken, coating each piece completely.
3. Bake about 1 hour at 350°F (180°C) until the breast pieces register at least 160°F (71°C) and thighs hit 165°F to 170°F (74°C to 77°C). Remove from the oven, top each piece with the cheese, return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 more minutes.
4. Serve with rice or potatoes to soak up all the delicious sauce!

 

PRO Tip:

In this case, because you are braising the chicken in the sauce, you will want to use a baking pan with at least 2-inch (5cm) sides. Be sure the chicken fits in a single layer! My 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking pan worked perfectly.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking pan
• Saucepan
• Instant read thermometer
• Tongs

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

* If you can’t find Fines Herbs in your grocery store, you can order it from penzeys.com. They also sell a very similar blend called Parisien Bonnes Herbes. Both are delicious and good on nearly any protein.

** My preferred brand of kosher salt is from Diamond Crystal. If you use Morton’s, another brand, or table salt, you will not need as much because they are saltier.

*** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. Wine is also considered safe. For some very sensitive people wine may cause issues. In a few rare cases, wine makers may use barrels that have minute amounts of gluten in the caulk. If you have issues with wine, look for a winery that uses only stainless steel containers to age their wines.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. Use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

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