This oven baked 3-ingredients orange marmalade chicken is one of those lazy weeknight dinners my sister swore would change my life, and she was absolutely right. It hits that perfect balance of sticky and savory with almost no effort, and it’s made with things you can grab on your way home from work. The sweet orange marmalade caramelizes in the oven, clinging to the chicken in a glossy, golden brown glaze, while a simple pantry-friendly savory boost keeps it from tasting like dessert. It all bakes together in a glass casserole dish, so cleanup is minimal and you can go live your life while the oven does the work.
I like to serve this orange marmalade chicken over fluffy white or brown rice so it can soak up all the extra sticky sauce from the pan. Steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or a simple side salad with a tangy vinaigrette help balance the sweetness and make it feel like a complete meal. If you’re really in weeknight mode, microwaveable rice pouches or instant couscous are perfect shortcuts. Leftovers are great sliced over mixed greens with a little extra vinaigrette, or tucked into a wrap with crunchy lettuce for an easy next-day lunch.
Oven-Baked 3-Ingredient Orange Marmalade ChickenServings: 4
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts)
1 cup orange marmalade
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish or coat it with cooking spray.
Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts and pat them dry with paper towels. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the prepared glass casserole dish, leaving a little space between each piece so the glaze can flow around them.
In a medium bowl, stir together the orange marmalade and the dry onion soup mix until well combined. The mixture will be thick and chunky—that’s what you want for a sticky glaze.
Spoon the marmalade mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, then use the back of the spoon to spread it so each piece is fully coated. Scrape any remaining mixture from the bowl over the top; you want all that flavor in the dish.
Cover the glass casserole dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. This helps the chicken cook through gently and keeps it juicy.
Remove the foil, baste the chicken with 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 (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the top looks glossy and bubbly.
For extra sticky, caramelized edges like in the photo, switch the oven to broil for 2–3 minutes at the end of the cooking time. Keep a close eye on it so the sugars in the marmalade don’t burn; you’re looking for deep golden brown spots and slightly crisp edges.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This helps the juices settle and the glaze thicken slightly. Spoon some of the sticky sauce from the bottom of the glass casserole dish over the chicken before serving.
Variations & Tips
If you prefer dark meat, you can swap the chicken breasts for 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs; they’ll stay extra juicy and may need just a few more minutes in the oven. For a lighter, less sweet version, use 3/4 cup marmalade and add 2 tablespoons of water to loosen the sauce slightly. If your marmalade is very chunky, you can warm it in the microwave for 20–30 seconds to make it easier to mix. To add a bit of heat, stir 1/4–1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes into the marmalade and onion soup mix before spreading it on the chicken. For a citrus-herb twist, sprinkle a little dried thyme or rosemary over the top before baking. This recipe also works well as a make-ahead meal: assemble the chicken and sauce in the glass casserole dish the night before, cover tightly, and refrigerate; when you get home from work, just pop it in the oven (add 5–10 minutes to the covered bake time if starting from cold). Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
