This old-fashioned oven baked 4-ingredient chicken has the kind of simple charm that never goes out of style. It’s the sort of dependable supper that feels right at home in a vintage recipe tin: easy to assemble, comforting, and special enough to set on the table for company. With just a few pantry-friendly ingredients, the chicken bakes up tender and bronzed in a buttery sauce that tastes like much more effort than it takes.
Serve this chicken with fluffy rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes to catch every bit of the sauce. For vegetables, green beans, peas, glazed carrots, or a crisp lettuce salad all fit the classic supper-club feel. If you’re serving guests, a dish of rolls and a simple fruit salad round things out nicely.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Chicken Carriage House
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly butter or spray an oval or 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed cream of chicken soup, dry onion soup mix, and melted butter until smooth.
3. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side up in the baking dish. Spoon the sauce evenly over the chicken, coating the tops and letting some run down into the dish.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, until the chicken is deeply golden, cooked through, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. If you like a little extra color, broil for 2 to 3 minutes at the end.
5. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving, then spoon the sauce over each piece.
Variations & Tips
For boneless chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, but start checking earlier since they cook faster. Boneless thighs will usually be ready in about 30 to 40 minutes.
For a crispier top: Pat the chicken dry before adding the sauce, and don’t cover the dish while it bakes. A quick minute or two under the broiler helps deepen the color nicely.
For picky eaters: If the onion flavor seems strong for little ones, use half the soup mix packet and add a splash of milk to mellow the sauce. Serving it over noodles also helps stretch the flavor in a gentle way.
Make it a fuller meal: Tuck small peeled potatoes or thick-cut carrots around the chicken before baking. They’ll soak up the sauce and turn this into a one-pan supper.
Save the sauce: The buttery pan sauce is too good to waste. Spoon it over rice, potatoes, or toast, and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.