Preheat oven to 375°F.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet and melt over medium-high.

Once butter starts to foam, add onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook low and slow until the onions are silky and caramelized.

Add thyme, ½ tsp salt, and the sherry. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the smell of alcohol is gone.

Add stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and let simmer until most of the liquid is gone.

To a large bowl, add chicken, one cup of grated Gruyère cheese, and ½ the parsley.

Pull the onions and (any of the liquid that comes with them) from the pan and add them to the bowl with the chicken. Mix well and set aside.

Cut the top of the loaf off the bread and remove 80% of the “guts”. Make sure you don’t break through the bottom.

Fill the bread with the chicken and French onion mix.

Top with the remaining grated Gruyère cheese. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack or until the cheese starts to bubble.

While the stuffed bread bakes, add whatever remains from the French onion pan to a blender and blend well

Garnish stuffed bread with remaining parsley and serve warm with blended the French onion jus!