Real Food How To: Caramelize Onions (Plus Double Smothered Chicken Recipe)

For a long time, I thought that caramelized onions were just a fancy way of saying “onions that have been cooked so that they are brown”.  Which is sort of close.  The difference between fried onions and caramelized onions is a bit of sugar.

Caramelizing onions is really simple: cook thinly sliced onions with a bit of oil and a bit of sugar over low heat.  The hard part, at least for me, is leaving them alone, and not being tempted to turn the heat up to cook them faster.  If you do that, they end up burnt pretty much every time.

First, slice up your onion.  I like to do thin rings, but any small pieces will do.  Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat.  Once it’s hot, add your onion and stir to coat.  Turn the heat down to low, and then leave it alone to start cooking, for about 10-12 minutes.  During that time, stir it once.

My husband always teases me about cooking this way, because I can’t just leave things alone.  I’m always stirring or poking or prodding or checking…but for this recipe, the onions really do cook better if you leave them alone!

After that first 10-12 minutes, add 1/2 tsp. of sugar and stir to coat.  Cook for another 20-25 minutes, stirring only every once in awhile, until your onions turn a nice golden brown color, but don’t burn.  If you’re like me, grab your phone or a book to distract you, but stay nearby so you can glance at the onions every now and then to make sure they’re not burning.

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Directions:

Slice up your onion.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat.  Once it’s hot, add your onion and stir to coat.  Turn the heat down to low, and then leave it alone to start cooking, for about 10-12 minutes.  During that time, stir it once.

After that first 10-12 minutes, add 1/2 tsp. of sugar and stir to coat.  Cook for another 20-25 minutes, stirring only every once in awhile, until your onions turn a nice golden brown color,

The whole process takes about 40 minutes, but it’s worth it!  Caramelized onions are really full of flavor, and are somehow both savory and sweet at the same time.  They’re perfect for topping a steak, they’re a delicious addition to a salad, and they’re great on a burger.  And they’re also yummy in Double Smothered Chicken.

Double Smothered Chicken
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 16 oz. chicken breasts, divided into 4 oz. pieces (the chicken in the picture above is a double portion)
• 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
• 1 batch caramelized onions
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Add chicken breasts and cook until no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in separate skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Add mushrooms, and saute for 5-6 minutes until they have released their juices.  Add caramelized onions to heat through.

Serve each chicken breast topped with a quarter of the mushroom mixture and 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Double Smothered Chicken goes perfectly with mashed potatoes.  This meal would make a great Valentine’s Day dinner as well! Surprise your loved one with a date night in.