Why it works: Onion and chicken are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 17,814 recipes. Both carry gamma-nonanolactone, which smells coconut, sweet. The science ↓
Soupe À l'Oignon
Ingredients
Directions
Braise the onions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine the onion, wine, and butter in a baking dish and braise, uncovered, until the onion is very soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to broil.
Assemble and serve
In another pan, bring the stock to a boil.
Distribute the onions among soup bowls and pour the stock.
Place a slice of baguette and cover with the grated cheese.
Place under broiler until cheese melts and is slightly browned.
Serve at once.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Gruyere Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Emmental Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Onion + chickentop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,814 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
-
White wine + buttertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,083 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Onion + white winetop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,535 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
White wine + emmental cheesetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl pentanoate (yeast, fruit).
-
White wine + chickentop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,904 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl isobutyrate (fruity, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Onion
- Breaks down during long braising to become soft and sweet, forming the body of the soup.
- Dry white wine
- Adds acidity and aromatic depth as it reduces into the braised onions.
- Unsalted butter
- Carries fat that helps the onions soften and brown gently in the dish.
- Unsalted chicken stock
- Provides the liquid base that turns the onions into a soup.
- Crusty baguette
- Holds the melted cheese on top and soaks up some of the soup.
- Gruyere or emmental cheese
- Melts and browns under the broiler, adding richness and a golden crust.
The step that matters
Braising the onions until very soft. Onions must cook long enough for their sugars to caramelize slowly, giving the soup its deep sweetness. Stopping early leaves them sharp and pale.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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