This oven baked 4-ingredients apricot glazed chicken is the kind of simple holiday dish that makes the whole house smell like home. My grandmother made a version of this every spring for Easter and family get-togethers, and the sticky sweet sauce was always the first thing everyone talked about. It’s made with just a jar of apricot preserves, a packet of onion soup mix, a splash of French dressing, and bone-in chicken thighs. Everything bakes together in one glass dish until the chicken is golden brown and the sauce turns glossy and unforgettable. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for a holiday table.
Serve these sticky apricot glazed chicken thighs right in the glass baking dish so everyone can see that beautiful golden sauce. Spoon some of the extra glaze over fluffy white rice, buttered egg noodles, or creamy mashed potatoes so none of it goes to waste. A simple green side like roasted asparagus, steamed green beans, or a crisp salad balances the sweetness nicely. Warm dinner rolls or sliced baguette are perfect for soaking up the last bits of sauce, and if you’re making this for a holiday, it fits right in alongside classic sides like scalloped potatoes or a broccoli casserole.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Apricot Glazed ChickenServings: 4
Ingredients
2 1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6–8 pieces)
1 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup French dressing (thousand island or Catalina-style works too)
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the chicken doesn’t stick.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and trim any excess skin or fat. Arrange the thighs in a single layer in the glass baking dish, skin side up, leaving a little space between each piece.
In a medium bowl, stir together the apricot preserves, French dressing, and dry onion soup mix until the mixture is smooth and well combined. It will be thick and a bit chunky from the onion pieces.
Pour the apricot mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, using a spoon to spread it so each piece is well coated. It’s fine if some of the sauce pools in the bottom of the dish—that will turn into a delicious glaze as it bakes.
Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. This helps the chicken start cooking through and keeps the sauce from over-browning too quickly.
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 25–35 minutes, basting once more halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F/74°C in the thickest part) and the skin is golden brown and sticky.
If you’d like the top extra caramelized, turn the oven to broil for 2–3 minutes at the end, watching closely so the sugars in the sauce don’t burn. The glaze should be thick, bubbly, and deeply golden.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. Spoon some of the sticky apricot glaze over each thigh just before serving.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can reduce the onion flavor by using only half the packet of onion soup mix or straining out the larger onion pieces after mixing the sauce. If someone in your family prefers boneless chicken, you can swap in boneless, skinless thighs—just start checking for doneness around 25 minutes since they cook faster and won’t brown quite as much. To cut the sweetness a bit, add 1–2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the sauce mixture; this gives it a nice tangy balance. For a slightly spicier version, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of hot sauce. If you don’t have French dressing, you can use Catalina or thousand island dressing, or even a mix of Russian dressing and a splash of ketchup to keep that same sweet-tangy profile. For make-ahead prep, you can arrange the chicken in the dish, pour the sauce over, cover, and refrigerate up to 8 hours before baking; just add a few extra minutes to the bake time if it goes into the oven cold. Leftovers reheat well in a covered dish at 325°F until warmed through, and the sauce thickens even more, making it great for shredding the chicken and serving over rice the next day.
