This slow cooker chicken tastes like something you’d stumble on at a small-town church potluck in the late 1970s—sweet, tangy, and just a little bit sticky, the kind of dish that disappears before the Jell-O salads. It starts with frozen chicken tender strips and only four more pantry-friendly ingredients, so you can truly just dump everything in the crock and walk away. It’s the sort of easy summer celebration recipe I leaned on when the kids were little and we were running from ball games to backyard fireworks, and it still feels right at home on a picnic table today.
Serve these saucy chicken tenders over buttered egg noodles or plain white rice to soak up every bit of the sweet-and-tangy sauce. A simple side of corn on the cob, green beans, or a crisp lettuce salad with ranch dressing keeps the 1970s Midwest spirit alive. Add sliced tomatoes with a little salt and pepper, a basket of dinner rolls or garlic bread, and a bowl of watermelon or fruit salad for dessert to turn it into a full summer celebration spread.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker 1970s Summer Celebration ChickenServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds frozen chicken tender strips (do not thaw)
1 cup bottled French dressing (thick, orange, 1970s-style)
3/4 cup apricot preserves
1 packet (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Directions
Place the frozen chicken tender strips in an even layer on the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. The tenders can overlap a bit, but try not to pack them too tightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the French dressing, apricot preserves, dry onion soup mix, and yellow mustard until the mixture is smooth and the soup mix is evenly distributed.
Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the frozen chicken tender strips, using a spatula to scrape the bowl so all the sauce goes into the slow cooker. Gently nudge the chicken so every piece has some sauce on it.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken tender strips are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Avoid opening the lid during the first couple of hours so the slow cooker maintains proper heat.
Once the chicken is done, give the sauce a gentle stir around the edges of the crock. If the sauce seems too thin, let the chicken sit uncovered on WARM or LOW for about 10 to 15 minutes to thicken slightly as it cools.
Taste the sauce and adjust if you like: add a small splash of extra mustard for more tang or a spoonful of apricot preserves for extra sweetness. Serve the chicken tender strips hot, spooning plenty of the sauce over each serving.
Variations & Tips
For a little extra color and flavor, you can scatter a sliced onion or a handful of thinly sliced bell peppers over the frozen chicken before pouring on the sauce, though that will technically add more ingredients. If you prefer a smokier, more barbecue-like flavor, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika or a spoonful of your favorite barbecue sauce into the dressing mixture in place of some of the apricot preserves. To lean even more into the 1970s potluck feel, swap the apricot preserves for orange marmalade or peach preserves—any of those sunny fruit flavors work well. If you like a creamier sauce, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of sour cream right at the end of cooking with the heat on LOW, and let it warm through without boiling. For a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the sauce mixture. Food safety tips: Always start with fully frozen, commercially packaged chicken tender strips, and keep them frozen until you are ready to put them in the slow cooker. Make sure your slow cooker is in good working order and set it immediately to LOW or HIGH as directed; do not leave the chicken sitting at room temperature in the crock before turning it on. Use a food thermometer to confirm the thickest pieces of chicken reach at least 165°F (74°C) before serving. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, store in a shallow container, and reheat thoroughly until steaming hot before eating.
