My friend Carol from church has won the potluck three years running with this. Only 3 ingredients!

This oven baked 3-ingredient pepper jelly glazed chicken is the kind of dish that makes folks at church potlucks hover near the casserole table, pretending they’re just passing by. My friend Carol from church has carried this very pan into the fellowship hall three years in a row now, and every time the sign-up sheet fills with people asking for her recipe. The secret is that it’s almost embarrassingly simple: just chicken thighs, pepper jelly, and a packet of onion soup mix. It bakes up glossy and caramelized in a glass casserole dish, with a sticky-sweet, gently spicy coating that tastes like you fussed all afternoon, even though you barely did more than stir, pour, and slide it into the oven.

Serve these pepper jelly glazed chicken thighs right in the glass casserole dish, with a big spoon to scoop up that sweet and savory sauce from the bottom. They’re wonderful over plain white rice or buttered egg noodles, which soak up every last bit of the sticky glaze. On the side, think simple Midwestern comforts: a pan of green beans, a tossed salad, or a bowl of coleslaw. Warm dinner rolls or biscuits are perfect for mopping up the juices, and if you’re taking this to a potluck, it travels well—just cover the dish with foil and rewarm gently before setting it out.

Servings: 6

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 to 8 pieces)

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Set out a rectangular glass casserole dish, about 9x13 inches, and lightly grease it if you like for easier cleanup.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels so the glaze sticks better. Arrange the thighs in a single layer in the glass casserole dish, skin side up, with a little space between each piece so the heat can circulate.

In a small bowl, add the pepper jelly and the dry onion soup mix. Stir together with a spoon until the soup mix is evenly moistened and the mixture looks thick and spreadable. If your jelly is very stiff, you can warm it in the microwave for 15–20 seconds to loosen it before stirring in the soup mix.

Spoon the pepper jelly and onion soup mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, spreading it over the tops and around the sides. It does not need to be perfect; it will melt and run as it bakes, creating a glossy, sticky coating and a flavorful sauce in the bottom of the dish.

Place the casserole dish on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 40 to 50 minutes. About halfway through, carefully spoon some of the melted glaze from the bottom of the dish back over the chicken to encourage a deeper caramelized coating.

Begin checking for doneness at 40 minutes. The chicken is done when the skin is browned and glossy, the edges of the glaze look caramelized and sticky, and the internal temperature of the thickest part of a thigh (not touching bone) reaches at least 165°F (74°C). Depending on the size of your thighs and your oven, this may take up to 50–55 minutes.

For extra color and a slightly more caramelized top, you can move the casserole dish to the upper third of the oven for the last 5 minutes of baking, watching closely so the sugars in the jelly do not burn.

Remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The glaze will thicken slightly as it cools, turning into a rich, sticky sauce that clings to the chicken. Serve straight from the glass casserole dish, spooning the glossy pepper jelly glaze over each piece.

You can easily adjust this simple three-ingredient recipe to suit your table without adding more core ingredients. For a little more heat, choose a hot pepper jelly instead of mild; for a sweeter, gentler flavor, use a mild red pepper jelly. If you prefer, you may remove the skin from the chicken thighs before baking to reduce some fat, but keep in mind the skin helps protect the meat and adds flavor; without it, check for doneness a bit earlier so the meat does not dry out. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work, though they cook faster—start checking them around 25–30 minutes, still aiming for 165°F (74°C) internal temperature. If your pepper jelly seems too thick, you can loosen it slightly by warming it gently before mixing in the onion soup mix, but avoid adding extra liquid so the glaze still caramelizes nicely. For food safety, always keep raw chicken refrigerated until you’re ready to cook, wash your hands and any surfaces that touch raw poultry, and never reuse utensils or plates that held raw chicken without washing them thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container. Leftovers reheat well, covered, in a low oven or microwave, and the glaze often tastes even better the next day.