This easy 4-ingredient oven chicken is the kind of no-fuss family dinner that feels like a little throwback to those dependable casserole-style meals so many of us grew up with. Using frozen chicken tenderloins and a handful of pantry staples, you can have a sweet, tangy, savory baked dish with hardly any prep, which makes it especially helpful on busy weeknights when everyone is hungry and you need something warm and comforting on the table fast.
Serve this chicken over fluffy white rice, buttered noodles, or mashed potatoes so none of that delicious sauce goes to waste. A simple green salad, steamed green beans, corn, or roasted broccoli all make nice easy sides, and if you're feeding a crowd, a pan of dinner rolls and a bowl of fruit round things out beautifully.
4-Ingredient Oven 1970s Summer Sizzle Chicken
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 pounds frozen chicken tenderloins
1 cup French dressing
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
1 cup apricot preserves
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9x13-inch Pyrex baking dish.
2. Spread the frozen chicken tenderloins in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the French dressing, dry onion soup mix, and apricot preserves until well combined.
4. Pour the sauce evenly over the frozen chicken, turning the tenderloins gently if needed so they are well coated.
5. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, stir or spoon the sauce over the chicken, and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest pieces.
6. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving, then spoon extra sauce over each portion.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters: If your family prefers a milder flavor, use a little less onion soup mix or add an extra spoonful of apricot preserves to soften the tanginess. This version is especially nice over rice for kids who like a sweeter sauce.
Extra color: Add strips of red bell pepper, onion, or pineapple chunks during the last 20 minutes of baking for a brighter, more summery look and flavor. It turns this simple chicken into a fuller one-pan meal.
Make it a little heartier: For a more filling supper, serve the chicken over egg noodles or tuck it alongside roasted potatoes. The sauce is too good to leave behind, so plan for something that will soak it up.
Best baking tip: Because frozen tenderloins can vary in size, always check doneness with a thermometer instead of time alone. If the sauce starts getting too dark before the chicken is done, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last part of baking.