This 4-ingredient oven chicken is the kind of easy family dinner that saves the day when you need something hearty without a lot of prep. Using split chicken breasts gives you juicy, flavorful meat with the bone and skin helping everything stay tender in the oven, and the simple casserole-dish method makes it feel like an old-fashioned weeknight supper that fills the kitchen with a cozy, home-cooked smell.
This chicken is wonderful with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, rice, or roasted vegetables to catch the savory juices from the pan. For a lighter plate, serve it with a crisp green salad or steamed green beans, and if you want to stretch the meal for bigger appetites, a basket of warm rolls or cornbread rounds everything out nicely.
Servings: 4
4 raw split chicken breasts
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish.
2. Place the raw split chicken breasts in the casserole dish in a single layer, skin side up.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the dry onion soup mix, chicken broth, and sour cream until mostly smooth.
4. Pour the mixture evenly over and around the chicken breasts.
5. Bake uncovered for 50 to 65 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
6. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, then spoon some of the sauce and pan juices over each piece.
For extra color: Sprinkle a little chopped parsley over the top before serving to brighten the finished dish and make it look a little more special on the table.
For picky eaters: If your family prefers a plainer flavor, use a lower-sodium or mild onion soup mix and serve the sauce on the side so everyone can add as much or as little as they like.
For richer sauce: If you want more sauce for spooning over rice or potatoes, add an extra 1/2 cup chicken broth to the casserole dish before baking.
For best results: Because split chicken breasts are larger and bone-in, check doneness with a meat thermometer instead of relying only on baking time. That keeps the chicken safe to eat without overcooking it.
Make it a full meal: Small potatoes or baby carrots can be tucked around the chicken before baking, but keep them in a single layer so they cook evenly in the pan juices.
