I asked myself: "What's better than French onion soup?", coming to the conclusion that it might be improved (made more hearty) with the addition of some sort of meat. The consistency of the liquid in the dish, below, is better described as a stew than a soup.
(1) Remove the moisture from the chicken quarters with paper towels. Heat up a large Dutch oven over a medium flame. In 2 Tbl peanut oil, brown the chicken on both sides - considerably. Remove the chicken from the pan. De-grease the pan.
(2) Slice the onions thickly. Melt 2-3 Tbl of butter in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Saute the onions until they become golden brown. Stir the onions, periodically. When the onions are golden, add flour and saute for 2-3 minutes. De-glaze the pan with red wine. Completely break the roux down by adding the beef stock, slowly, while whisking.
Crush the garlic. Return the chicken to the Dutch oven. Pour the onion/gravy mass into Dutch oven. Add the cayenne pepper, thyme, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil, and cover the pan with a tightly fitting lid. Cut the heat to a slow simmer. Braise the chicken for 1 hour. Turn the pieces of chicken, regularly, during the braising time. Cut the quarters into 4 pieces.
Locate broiler-proof vessels, sufficient to hold a piece of chicken and some sauce - with bread and cheese perched atop. I use glazed earthern-ware dishes. Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes.
Slice the bread thickly and toast it. Place one piece of chicken and sauce into a broiler-proof dish. Repeat with 3 other dishes until chicken and sauce are exhausted. Arrange a slice of toasted bread over each dish. Sprinkle grated Gruyere cheese over the bread. Broil until the cheese becomes bubbly and golden-brown. Serve immediately.