My mother in law taught me this tangy 3 ingredient bake and it disappears faster than the holiday ham every single time.

This oven baked 3-ingredients Russian dressing chicken is exactly the kind of weeknight magic my mother-in-law swears by: you whisk together a tangy sauce, pour it over chicken, and let the oven do the rest. She’s been making this since the late 70s, when bottled Russian dressing and onion soup mix were pantry staples in many Midwestern homes. The result is chicken baked in a glossy, red-orange glaze that’s sweet, tangy, and savory all at once, with tender onion pieces tucked around the meat. It’s the sort of dish that shows up at potlucks and holiday buffets and quietly disappears before the ham even cools down.

Serve this chicken straight from the white baking dish with plenty of the sticky pan sauce spooned over the top. It’s excellent with simple sides that soak up the glaze: buttered egg noodles, mashed or roasted potatoes, or plain white rice. A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette or steamed green beans helps balance the richness, and a side of roasted carrots or broccoli plays nicely with the sweet-tangy flavors. If you’re feeding a crowd, add a pan of dinner rolls so people can swipe up every last bit of sauce.

Servings: 4

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts)

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a medium white ceramic or glass baking dish so the chicken doesn’t stick.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. This helps the glaze cling and encourages a slightly caramelized finish.

Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer in the baking dish, leaving a little space between each piece so the sauce can flow around them.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Russian dressing and the dry onion soup mix until the onion bits are evenly distributed and the mixture is a uniform, thick, red-orange sauce.

Pour the Russian dressing mixture evenly over the chicken, lifting each piece slightly with a fork so some of the sauce slips underneath. Spoon any remaining sauce over the tops, making sure the chicken is well coated and some onion pieces are scattered around and on top.

Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. This helps the chicken cook gently and keeps it moist.

Remove the foil, baste the chicken with some of the sauce from the bottom of the dish, and return it to the oven uncovered. Bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165°F/74°C in the thickest part).

For a stickier, more caramelized glaze like in the photo, switch the oven to broil for 2–3 minutes at the end of cooking, watching closely so the sugars in the dressing don’t burn. The sauce should bubble, thicken, and turn glossy with deep red and orange tones.

Remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to settle and the sauce to thicken slightly. Spoon the vibrant glaze and softened onion pieces over the chicken before serving.

For a slightly sweeter version that leans into the retro holiday feel, whisk 2–3 tablespoons of apricot preserves or orange marmalade into the Russian dressing before adding the onion soup mix. If you prefer dark meat, substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; increase the covered bake time by about 10 minutes and check for doneness with a thermometer. To reduce sweetness and boost tang, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice to brighten the sauce. For a bit of heat, add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the dressing mixture. You can also add more vegetables directly to the pan: tuck thick slices of yellow onion or wedges of sweet bell pepper around the chicken so they roast in the sauce, or add halved baby potatoes (parboiled for 5–7 minutes first) to make it more of a one-pan meal. Leftovers reheat well; slice the chilled chicken and serve it cold over salad greens with any remaining sauce thinned with a splash of vinegar as a quick dressing.