4 Ingredient Sweet and Tangy Chicken is a go-to chicken recipe using common ingredients and is one o the most popular recipes on Syrup and Biscuits. Originally published in 2011, it’s been updated with new photos and a recipe video.
I remember the day Angela told me the menu she’d planned for our church Share Group meal. The entree was a chicken recipe she’d recently tried and she and her family were crazy about it. Of course, I couldn’t wait to get the recipe details.
She explained that you need but a few simple, ordinary ingredients to make a sauce for the chicken that’s indescribably delicious. Yes, those words were used in a famous candy advertisement but they were the words she used.
I encouraged her to reveal the recipe ahead of time because I was dying with curiosity.
She said, “Oh, it’s nothing to it. You mix up Russian dressing, dry onion soup mix, and apricot preserves.
On the outside, my reaction was joyous and anticipatory.
On the inside, I was thinking something entirely different. Truth be told, I was downright disappointed because the combination sounded odd, to say the least.
The night of the share group meeting arrived. The Sweet and Tangy Chicken was still in the oven when we walked through the door. I convinced myself that anything with an aroma that appealing could never taste odd.
Man, oh man; was I right! That fateful evening was over 30 years ago and I’ve been making that chicken recipe ever since. It’s a departure from my usual scratch recipes because it relies on convenience items. But, it’s a keeper. Folks rave about. Make it one time and you’ll see what I’m talking about. I swanee to goodness.
4 Ingredient Sweet and Tangy Chicken
This is a 4 ingredient dish that will become one of your go-to dishes. You can make ahead first thing in the morning up to the point of baking, place in the refrigerator, then just pop in the oven for a little over an hour, add a side and a tossed green salad. Dinner is served!
8 chicken thighs – You can use a whole chicken or other parts. We love thighs the best. And we want them on the bone with the skin.
1 package dry french onion soup mix
1 (8 oz bottle) Russian dressing (I prefer Wishbone Russian dressing)
1 cup apricot preserves
salt and pepper for seasoning
Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl. Set aside.
Place chicken pieces in a baking pan. Sprinkle lightly with seasoning.
Pour sauce over chicken and make sure it’s coated well.
Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Baste several times during cooking.
Serve it up and act like you are worn slap out from working so hard. Take all the compliments gracefully. You deserve it.
Ingredients
- This is a 4 ingredient dish that will become one of your go-to dishes. You can make ahead first thing in the morning up to the point of baking, place in the refrigerator, then just pop in the oven for a little over an hour, add a side and a tossed green salad. Dinner is served!
- 8 chicken thighs - You can use a whole chicken or other parts. We love thighs the best. And we want them on the bone with the skin.
- 1 package dry french onion soup mix
- 1 (8 oz bottle) Russian dressing (I prefer Wishbone Russian dressing)
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl. Set aside.
- Place chicken pieces in a baking pan. Sprinkle lightly with seasoning.
- Pour sauce over chicken and make sure it's coated well.
- Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Baste several times during cooking.
- Serve it up and act like you are worn slap out from working so hard. Take all the compliments gracefully. You deserve it.
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I’m Jackie Garvin, the personality behind the blog. Being born and raised in Alabama and entrenched in southernism was a gift. It gave me an identity. I am part of a culture that embraces gracious hospitality, manners, love of God and country, frugality, family values and good honest food. That’s who I am and that’s what I’m all about. 
So glad you joined us here on “Made it on Monday” link party!
This looks finger licking good!
Saw this on Pinterest… ! This looks SO good. Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Gloria
Hi Gloria! Welcome to Syrup and Biscuits. I’m so happy you found us. Enjoy the Comeback Sauce! 🙂
My mom used to make this 55 years ago….she called it Mandarin Chicken. I had forgotten about but remembered the other day..wondering what was in it. I googled chicken w/ onion soup recipes and this popped up. She made it with orange marmalade and marinated the chicken in the ingredients for at least a day. I’m going to make it tomorrow. My mom’s always was a thickened sauce- much thicker than your pics. Perhaps she added other things. I’m excited, so thanks for posting
Orange marmalade sounds like a great substitute. Your mama probably added a thickening agent like cornstarch or flour.
Just had to add that Comeback sauce is called Comeback bc you always Come Back for more!!! Mississippi raised, Texas livin’ girl 🙂
Hi CG!
Thanks for stopping by. It was named right. That’s for sure! I appreciate your comment. Hello to Texas! 🙂
My mom used to make this when I was a kid and I loved it! Completely forgot about the recipe until I saw it on Pinterest. 🙂
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Emily! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I picked up the ingredients to make this recipe – I picked up Ken’s Russian dressing, which is more like Thousand Island dressing. I think I should have used a Wishbone style Russian dressing. I went ahead and made the chicken and it tasted pretty good, but I think it would have been better if I used the correct style of Russian dressing.
Patti,
I use Wishbone Russian dressing. I have never noticed any other brands. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I’m going to make a note on the recipe right now. 🙂
I’m going to try the recipe again sometime with Wishbone Russian dressing. I thought to myself while I was shopping that Russian dressing is red; but I only saw the one brand on the shelf, so that’s what I bought. The store was busy and I was in a rush to get home. Now I know. I’ll keep my eyes open for Wishbone brand. Thanks!
I just discovered that Kraft Catalina dressing would be similar to Wishbone Russian dressing. 🙂
Patti,
I’m glad you found another option! I haven’t looked for Kraft but if it’s the same reddish-orangish color that I show in the pictures, than I’m sure it would be just fine. 🙂
I’ve made this for years, and my family loves it. We call it “Russian Chicken,” ha. I like that there are lots of ways to change it up, too. Instead of apricot preserves, you can substitute the canned cranberry sauce. You can place sliced bell pepper rings or pineapple rings on top while it bakes. You can add a little soy sauce to the sauce for a more Chinese twist. One thing we never change though, is we always serve it over rice. I could eat rice with just the sauce!
Tanya,
You’re the second person who’s commented that they called this Russian Chicken! 🙂 Your variations sounds wonderful! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
The cranberry version has long been a family favorite. We serve it over wide egg noodles. (Yes, the sauce is great even after the chicken is gone!) My mom’s recipe from the early 80s called for Richelieu Western Dressing. When I couldn’t find it anymore, I started using Wishbone’s Western. I just did a search to make sure I correctly recalled the original brand and found out that it was sold to Unilever and eventually was re-branded as as Wishbone Western Dressing!
BA Wolf,
I’ll make it a point to look for Wishbone Western dressing. I’ve not familiar with it.
Your great detective skills helped you track down a favorite!
Has anyone tried using boneless, skinless chicken? Will it turn out okay?
Courtney,
You can certainly use boneless skinless chicken. However, the skin keeps it from drying out and burning so I would suggest that you baste it frequently while cooking. If you use breasts instead of thighs, the cooking time would be less. Enjoy! 🙂
Oh yum … found this on Pinterest, as well. Was wondering what changes I would need to make in order to prepare it in a crock pot! Thanks so much! Love your site here … I love simple, and I’m your newest ‘fan’!! 🙂
Hi Deborah,
I’m so glad you found us tucked away in our little corner of the world!
You’ll wind up with a lot more water in the sauce when it’s cooked in the crockpot. You could remove the chicken when done, pour the sauce into a saucepan and reduce it down and then pour the sauce back over the chicken. Or, if you’re going to be at home, remove the lid to the crockpot during the last hour of so of the cook time or until the sauce has thickened up. The third option would be to reduce the amount of salad dressing but that would affect the flavor.
Welcome home! 🙂
I make a shredded BBQ chicken in the crockpot and that sauce thins out. You could try what I do to thicken it as we’ll…for 24 oz of chicken I mix 2 Tbsp chicken broth and 2 Tbsp of corn starch in a small bowl, remove the chicken from your crockpot, pour your mixture in and leave set/stir for about 5 min then return the chicken and cook a bit longer. I also plan on trying this in a crockpot, can’t wait!
Have you tried making it in the crockpot?
Deana,
I haven’t tried this recipe in the crockpot. Some adjustments would need to be made. You’ll wind up with a lot more water in the sauce when it’s cooked in the crockpot. You could remove the chicken when done, pour the sauce into a saucepan and reduce it down and then pour the sauce back over the chicken. Or, if you’re going to be at home, remove the lid to the crockpot during the last hour of so of the cook time or until the sauce has thickened up. The third option would be to reduce the amount of salad dressing but that would affect the flavor.
I am making this for the 2nd time. So delicious! Found it on Pinterest…
Laura,
I’m so glad you enjoy it! It’s a recipe that I make quite often, too. 🙂
I really want to try this recipe–it looks delicious but it seems like cooking thighs for over an hour at 400 degrees would over cook them.. Why so long?
Mary,
The thigh is the largest piece of chicken requiring the longest cook time. Eight thighs cooked together seem to take longer than doing one or two. Basting the thighs frequently will keep them from drying out. Also, the higher temp keeps the sauce from becoming too watery during the cooking process.
If your oven cooks faster than most, I would recommend decreasing the temp to 350. The thighs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165.
Please let me know if you decide to use this recipe, Mary. I would love to know how it turned out for you. This is a very popular recipe on my blog. Many people have made this dish and have left positive comments. I hope it works out for you. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. 🙂
Jackie,
Oh my goodness, you were so right on this!! I made it last night for dinner and it was PERFECT! I baked the chicken at 400 degrees for 1 hour and 5 mins. Perfectly cooked, very moist and pretty to look at.
It was super easy to put together and clean up was a breeze! The best part was, my husband had a second helping and he really wouldn’t mind if I NEVER made chicken!!
This is definitely a keeper.
Thanks!
Mary
Mary,
YEA!!!!!! I was hoping you would give this recipe a try. I’m thrilled beyond description to know that your concerns were allayed and the recipe was part of a great family dinner. Thanks so much for the feedback! 🙂
I have made these multiple times. I use Smuckers sugarfree apricot preserves. Make sure
you bake them in a foil lined pan to make cleanup easier. Also, added1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.
This does not make this hot just a little zip.
Sharon,
Using sugar-free preserves is a great option for those wishing to control their sugar intake. I’ll have to try the addition of red pepper flakes for a little kick. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Jackie 🙂
I found this recipe on Pinterest and oh MY, it looks delicious. I have everything needed to try it, except I have Liptons dry, regular onion soup mix. Is this different than what you are using? I’m not familiar with dry french onion soup mix. Just wanted to make sure before I make this. So glad I found your site!!
Teresa,
Dry regular onion soup mix is what you need. Please let me know what you think of the chicken dish after you make it.
Welcome home! 🙂
Hi Jackie 🙂
Oh my, fixed this for dinner tonight. It’s to die for, delicious. Whole family just raved. And so VERY easy. From the fridge into the oven in less than 5 min! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It’s a keeper!!
Teresa,
This is the kind of recipe that really grabs folks’ attention. It’s quick and easy to put together, uses easy to find ingredients and tastes good. Thanks for letting Syrup and Biscuits be part of your family dinner. 🙂
I cooked this for dinner tonight and it was super delicious! Hubby said they were the best chicken thighs he has ever eaten. And it was SO easy!! I love it and will definitely be making this one again! I want to use the sauce for grilling! Yummy!
Pam,
Thank you for letting me know you found something you enjoy! I’ve used the sauce on pork chops, too, and it was wonderful 🙂
Just curious if you or anyone else tried to freeze it with the sauce on it but not cooked? Wonder if it would taste the same if thawed and then cooked?
Tara,
I’ve never tried freezing it with the sauce before it’s cooked. However, I can’t see any reason it wouldn’t work out if you thawed it overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. If you do try it, please let me know how it works out. 🙂
Hi there!
I froze this recipe with the sauce for a few weeks. I also made it with boneless skinless chicken breasts that we got on sale (it was buy 1 pound, get 2 pounds free….can’t beat that!). I put the chicken in the fridge for a couple of days to defrost. Anyway, since I was making another Pinterest receipe to go along with this dish, I ended up cooking in the chicken at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutues and there was a lot of sauce left over. The chicken came out perfectly and we really loved the sauce. Thanks for a great recipe!
Jessica,
What a great idea for a make ahead dish! I’m always looking for those and I never thought to test this one out.
What a great chicken deal you found!
My Mom used to make this all the time. She changed every recipe she ever made to suit her and used orange marmalade instead of apricot preserves. De~lish!!!
KS,
Orange marmalade would be great. I’ve made it with peach preserves, too.
I was wondering if this could be placed in the crockpot? I would imagine it would make the chicken even more tender. Also, has anyone used a substitute for the apricot preserves?
Kayla,
You could certainly prepare this in the crockpot. I haven’t done that so I cant tell you about any modifications you would need to make. The sauce gets a little liquid-y so you might need to remove the chicken after it’s done, pour the sauce in a sauce pan and cook on the stove until it reduces some. Or, remove the lid to the crockpot during the last hour or so of cook time. You can substitute any marmalade or jam that you like in equal quantities. I’ve used peach before. Orange marmalade is very popular, too.
Hi Jackie,
I made it in the crock pot today. It turned out delicious! I followed your recipe but used Orange Marmalade. I used a 5quart pot and used 10 thighs (some were very small). I cooked it on high for 4.5 hours. The skin on the exposed thighs browned nicely but it wasn’t crispy; my kids inhaled it nonetheless. The sauce was very thin and had a lot of fat because of the skin but I skimmed it off the top. Then I took out about two cups of sauce and reduced it on the stove (took only a few minutes). I served it over Texas grown basmati rice. Next time, I might cook it on the grill over indirect heat. With 100+ degree Texas heat the oven is not an option. Thanks for a great recipe.
Eva,
Thanks so much for letting me know your crockpot method. I still haven’t tried it in the crockpot. It sounds like it passed kid approval at your house! 🙂
I made this with chicken leg quarters & it was DELISH! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Am thinking about trying it over a sheet pan full of chicken wings in the Fall when football starts. Has anyone tried that? Reduce cook time to about 30 minutes?
Jerilyn,
You are right on target with your chicken wings idea. It’s perfectly delicious and I guarantee the wings won’t last long. 🙂
Hi! I want to try this tonight but not sure what dishes to serve with it?? Any suggestions?
April,
It goes well with a simple starch, such as potatoes or rice, and some type of green vegetable. I usually serve green beans with it. 🙂
I found this while trying to find some easy meals for nights my kids have ball practice. I would love to try it. Can this be cooked in a crock pot?
Ba,
It certainly can be cooked in a slow cooker. I’ve never done it so I haven’t worked out the details. You might have to cook it with the top off for the last bit of cooking time to reduce the sauce down some, or remove the sauce to a pan and cook until it’s reduced and thick. 🙂
I found this recipe somewhere else but then never could find it again. One day I saw it on Pinterest and was so excited to be able to pin it so I could have it again. Making it tonight for my husband and me.
Hi Shelby! I hope you enjoy!
Just got back from the store with the ingredients. I’m doing it in the crockpot so I’m really pressed for time, but I have a big question. I couldn’t find Russian at all. Not even with the Wishbone dressings. I used my phone to look up alternatives. I found a lot of thousand island recommendations. I picked up a Ken’s Thousand Island and a Ken’s Country French with orange blossom honey. Which one should I use???
Ken’s Country French should be a good substitute.
Made this last night. So good! The “gravy” was the best over rice. Thank’s so much.
So glad you enjoyed it, Carla!
Can you cook this dish in a crock pot?
Natalie,
I haven’t made this in the crockpot so I can give you the modifications necessary. However, another reader in a comment just above yours, gave us her suggestions for a crockpot modification. 🙂
I’ve made a similar recipe with chicken breasts in the Crock Pot for years. I use 1 bottle Catalina dressing, 1 can “whole berry” cranberry sauce, and plain onion soup mix, and it turns out delicious. You don’t get the caramelizing on the top like you might get in the oven, but it’s super easy. I’m excited to try this version now!
Thanks for sharing your crockpot version, Michelle!
I’ve made this twice now, I love it! Thanks for posting 🙂
So glad you’ve found something you like, Becky!! 🙂
I do this with chicken in the crock pot all day. Then when I get home I’ll throw in a bag of stir-fry veggies. My family loves it.
What an awesome suggestion, Tiffany. Thanks for sharing!
Found this on Pinterest and I made it tonight. Awesome! I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. I cooked the chicken in my large crock pot, and I placed the sauce ingredients in my small crock pot and cooked them that way. When I got home, I drained the chicken, and then mixed in the sauce and let them simmer til I finished making the rest of dinner. My husband loved it. He usually compliments my cooking, but this time it was pretty nonstop throughout dinner on how great of a dish it was. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Thank you for inviting us into your home tonight! I’m so glad you enjoyed your dinner. 🙂
This is also called Russian Chicken and can be done with boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut up into bit size pieces and served over rice.
I just cooked this and it was soooo delicious! My family loved it and commented we must have this again soon. I could not find Russian Dressing, i used Wishbone Thousand Island dressing and again it was simple and delicious a must try!
Ive made something very similiar to this for years, but I add a can of cranberry instead of the preserves and a cup of water, we like lots of sauce, to put over rice 😀
This is really good. Very simple and yet easy to make. I half the recipe because only 2 of us and only cooked 1 hr. Perfect! Will be making again for a larger crowd.
Wonderful! I made this in the crockpot on our recent camping trip. It was a hit and had to give the recipe to everyone. I used a mix of bone in thighs and split breast. Cooked 7 hours. I used the recipe as outlined above. There was plenty of sauce to add extra on the rice. This is definitely a keeper.
Gail,
I’m so happy to hear that this made a fine meal for you. Thanks for letting us know you were successful using this recipe in the crockpot.
if you cook 8 thighs in the crockpot how long does it need to cook?
Rachel,
You might read down some of the comments. I’ve never cooked it in the crockpot so I can’t share my experience. Other readers ave and they’ve listed their cook times. I would plan for about 8 hours on high and start checking it toward the end of cooking time.
i hope mine comes out right i only have boneless thighs and just regular onion soup mix. But its in the oven will see
i posted earlier and it came out awesome even my 23 mon old loved thanks for sharing the recipe
So glad you found something you like, Michelle!
Going to make this tonight. It sounds so good. Was going to use the crock pot, but after reading about the different texture of the skin I’m going for the oven version. Mt husband is all about that crispy skin. Thanks, from here in Spring, Texas.
Stephanie,
I’m with your husband regarding the crispy skin! Enjoy!
Hi- how much is one package of onion soup mix? I have a large container and am not sure how much to use. Thanks!
Sonya,
I would estimate it to be 1/3 cup.
I sent my husband to the store for the ingredients and he returned with a creamy Ken’s Russian (it was the only Russian they had). Just looking at it I knew it wasn’t right so I checked the comments and have seen others with the same issue. I did find a recipe that was super easy to make Russian dressing instead. I had all of the ingredients on hand and once I whipped that up I knew I’d made the right choice! I’m trying the crockpot version although I’ll probably throw it under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end just to get some crispy skin and caramelization. Anyhow here’s the Russian Dressing Recipe for anyone interested…
http://www.food.com/recipe/russian-salad-dressing-87710
Thanks so much for sharing your Russian dressing recipe, Janae. I’ve never had problem finding it but oyhrt have.
I think you’ll be happy with broiling the chicken to finish it off. Crispy chicken skin is “da bomb”!
Thanks for posting! I found you on Pinterest, and I used your recipe for rabbit and it was really yummy! I posted to share (with link to you of course) on my blog at http://www.organic-homestead-heart.com/rabbit-recipe-sweet-tangy/ Thanks again for posting such a yummy recipe!
Thanks so much! I left a comment on your blog. 🙂
We’ve made this for years with Catalina dressing and always serve it over rice. We call it “Crazy Chicken”. I also made it in a Dutch oven over a campfire and added 2 cups of instant rice at the start, that seems to handle the extra moisture and would probably work in the crockpot too.
Janet,
I always thought Catalina dressing would be a suitable substitute for Russian although I’ve never tried it. Thanks so much for letting me know! Love the idea of cooking over an open fire! 🙂
found this on Pinterest., not LOOKING for anything, just looking around. BUT this caught my eye! I like chicken, the husband….not so much. I need to eat more protein, fighting cancer here, & THIS LOOKS SO GOOD! I like the ease of the recipe, since standing for long amnts of time is not an option. THANK YOU! I am excited to try this for the weekend!
Beverly,
This recipe is the second most popular on my blog. I hope you give it a try.
God bless you as you battle cancer. I wish you lived close enough that I could make this dish for you. Please let me know how you’re getting along.
Making this tonight. Went to three different store, no Russian in sight, so I purchased Kraft’s Zesty Catalina ***crossing fingers*** I’ll update the post after dinner!
DJ,
Catalina will work just fine! Can’t wait to hear back from you. 🙂
how would you make this in a crockpot would you do anything different?
Brittany,
I haven’t made this in the crockpot so I can’t give you specific instructions. However, if you read through some of the comments, you’ll find specifics from some readers who have. Let me know if you can’t find what you’re looking for. 🙂
Way back in the day this was college survival food, easy quick! Love it!
Cathy,
It’s been around for quite some time. Do you still make it?
I am going to try this with French dressing and pork chops!
Brenda,
You’ll love it! I’ve use the sauce with pork before. Mmmmm, mmmm, good! 🙂
Hi there,
I’m not an avid cook but have been motivated to start esp w/ the birth of my little boy 10 months ago 🙂 I was super excited to come across this recipe on Pinterest. I’m wondering if the cook time would be different at all for a glass dish? I was also planning on lining it with tin foil for easier clean up. My parents are coming into town on Thursday & I’m going to make it for them, can’t wait!
Hi Mama Kate! Congratulations on your angel baby.
I don’t believe there will be a tremendous difference in cook time using glass vs aluminum. Also, I advocate lining anything you can with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.
Please let me know how it turns out for you!
I went to Food Lion for the Russian Dressing and they did not have it. Where did you find yours? Really want to make this…..Thanks
Rhonda,
I stop at Publix and they always have it. Catalina or French would be a substitute if you can’t find Russian.
INCREDIBLE! I had to make mine with Thousand Island sauce (we don’t have Russian sauce in the UK) and it looked nothing like yours but tasted so good! Think this will become a regular, thank you.
Christina,
So glad you enjoyed it! I’ve never tried it with Thousand Island dressing but French and Catalina make good substitutes, too. 🙂
Used this recipe last night! The chicken turned out wonderfully, I made it for my friends and they were impressed. I used boneless-skinless thighs and Catalina dressing and orange preserves as those were what I had on hand. It was moist and delicious! Thanks for sharing such an easy recipe!
Brittany,
That sounds like a winning combination. I’d say you’ve got some lucky friends!
I am dying to make this recipe but not a fan of dark meat. Has anyone made this with Chicken breast? If so what tempature and how long?
Hi Heather,
I’m sure there are folks who have made this with chicken breasts. You can cook at the same temperature but shorten the cook time. The breasts are done when they reach an internal temp of 165 degrees. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, cook until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
I decided to do the thighs!! Huge HIT and I am a HUGE fan! Delish!!! I am not a fan of dark meat and decided to go with it. I Wouldn’t change it.
Heather,
Im so glad dark meat worked out for you! I love chicken dark meat so much I wish chickens were like spiders and had 8 legs. 🙂
I used orange preserves because i picked up the wrong thing. It turned out great!
Mary,
So glad they turned out great for you! 🙂
I live in Australia and am not familiar with ‘Russian’ dressing, mainly because we can’t get it here in Oz! What is a suitable substitute dressing?? Ranch perhaps, which I can obtain.?
Dee,
I’ve substituted both French and Catalina for Russian. Maybe you can find one of those. 🙂
A spicy french will work as well.
I couldn’t find Russian, so we’re trying Catalina. My daughter is learning to cook, I thought this would be great for her to try for the family on Sunday. I’m suggesting your site to her. THANKS!
Kim,
I’ve substituted both Catalina and French and I think the results were marvelous! I’m tickled to pieces to know that you and your daughter are using my recipes in teaching her to cook. Thank you for bringing Syrup and Biscuits into you kitchen! 🙂
I made this last week and it is now one of my favorites. We loved it. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it, Dawn! 🙂
Why does it say crockpot? In recipe it never mentions it:/
My kids love this recipe. I am making it tonight. It is so easy
Enjoy, Heather!
Substituted Pineapple Preserves for the Apricot, and it was an instant hit in our house. As he says, it is now one of my “Go-to” recipies. Thinking about making it for the next office pot-luck.
John-O,
I’ve been meaning to try this with pineapple preserves. Thanks for the nudge! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I made this recipe tonight and even my picky eater husband loved it! I used boneless chicken breast instead of thighs. I just cooked them at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes and they turned out fabulous. Thanks for giving me an easy go to chicken recipe! you rock!!!!
Glad you found something you enjoy, Kristi. Bless your pickey eater husband’s heart! 🙂
Okay, I have this in the oven right now! It is smelling yummy. I followed the recipe adding a bit of crushed red pepper (I read in the reviews some had done this). I decided to go with the regular thighs and see how we like it. Will see how well it goes over with my hubby and youngest son (only one still at home) and I’ll post after dinner with the verdicts =)
Okay just finished dinner with the kid (hubby will be home later). The glaze is delicious! We weren’t overly impressed by the chicken thighs though. I’ll try another night with some boneless, skinless chicken. Most definitely a great glaze recipe though!! Just our opinion on the chicken (we don’t normally eat chicken with skin). Thanks so much for sharing recipe!!
Lynnette,
You can easily adapt this recipe for any favorite chicken piece. You can have all the breasts and we’ll take the thighs! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it.
Hi! Just curious, on Pinterest it says you can make this in the crockpot…what would you do differently in the recipe if so? 🙂
Sara,
I haven’t made this in the crockpot myself but others have and posted comments detailing their modifications. If you scan down, you will find them. Let me know if you don’t see any.
I just put this in the crockpot and the sauce smelled amazing! I can’t wait to try it tonight. I think if I remove the chicken and mix a little cornstarch and sauce separately that should thicken the sauce up nicely! It looks like everyone agrees that it’s great over rice so I think I’ll give that a try! Fingers crossed that my 4 year old enjoys it as well!
I hope it was a success, Amanda! 🙂
Tried this with pork country style ribs. Changed the Apricot to Orange marmalade (which the family LOVED!) Since the pork is a little tougher, I lowered the baking temp to 340 degrees and cooked 5 lbs of these thick ribs for 2 hours. Absolutely wonderful.
I’m going to try this as a BBQ glazing sauce on the grill this summer.
John-O,
Love the substitution of orange marmalade. I’ve been wanting to try that myself. Thanks for the nudge! 🙂
Got this from Pinterest and made it yesterday. It was great!! Being Puerto Rican I had to seasoned a bit more so I added garlic and Adobo for seasoning. I also used different parts of chicken. Next time I’ll use chicken wings and thighs only. The breast was a bit to dry for this recipe. All in all was delicious and so easy.
So glad you enjoyed it, Sandy!
I was looking for the nutrition info for this recipe. Did I miss it or is it not posted?
Jessica,
I don’t have a software program that determines nutritional information.
I used Western dressing (the one with the mountain scene on the bottle) and it was perfect. I’m sure Catalina would work too, but it doesn’t have as much tang to it. I also used chicken breasts seasoned with pepper and garlic powder. I put 3 of them in a deep dish and poured over the sauce. Baked at 350 for about 30-35 minutes to accommodate my side dishes baking at that temp. The sauce was a bit thin, so I poured some of it in a small sauce pan and boiled it for a couple minutes to thicken up. This makes a lot of sauce, so if you aren’t going to pour some over rice, I would only make 1/2 the batch of sauce.
Barbara,
I will have to look for Western dressing. I’ve never heard of it and thanks for sharing the tip! 🙂
Found this on someone else’s Facebook cooking blog and was credited to you. The Sweet and Tangy chicken recipe is wonderful. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this last night for dinner and it was a big hit! I read several of the other comments and added a little soy sauce and red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture. Also, for the last ten minutes of cooking time, I added a slice of pineapple to the top of each chicken and basted it all with a little sauce. Looked really nice and it was delicious! The chicken fell off the bone and was very moist. I would make a little extra sauce on top of the stove because with all the basting of the chicken, there really wasn’t enough sauce to top the chicken with when I served it. I served it over rice and I think a little extra sauce would have been good over both. I will definitely make this again!
Is it a capful of apricot preserves? I want to try the recipe.
I made this today and although it was sweeter than I would like, it was delicious! I used Catalina dressing instead of Russian and orange marmalade instead of apricot, I also added a little crushed red pepper but couldn’t really taste it.The fried rice recipe I made with it was actually a little salty (too much soy sauce lol) so the sweetness of the glaze balanced it out really well! I added some fresh steamed broccoli to go with it too, everything together was really delicious! I think next time I will add a little Sriracha for some heat!
Big hit for dinner tonight. My kids who can be resistant to trying new things loved this chicken. I will make extra sauce on the stove next time for dipping. I used chicken legs and only bake for one hour. that was perfect. meat fell off the bone and was very moist. Will add to the keep file.
I have been making this sauce for years, onion soup mix, any red dressing, and cranberry sauce, whole cranberry or jelly both work.
I will be sad if I cant get the right dressing here in Australia:( Also is preserve..jam?? thanx
Liz,
Preserves and jam are very similar. The pieces of fruit are larger in preserves than jam but you can use them interchangeably.
Just made this… Delicious! But I cooked it on the stove-top in a skillet. Turned out pretty good I think.
I haven’t tried it stovetop but what a great idea for the summer to keep from heating up the whole kitchen!
We make this often… It is so easy and good! Goes great with rice and steamed broccoli. Add a little crushed red pepper to spice it up! Yum!
My mom used to make this very thing, but with chicken breasts and French dressing. This version had the very slightest edge over that wonderful childhood memory. I guess this will be the version my kids remember someday 🙂
I’ve made this MANY TIMES and my husband and daughter LOVE it!
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe, it’s so easy to make and it’s so TASTY!
I love to eat this with white rice and take the leftover drippings and put it on top of the rice.
YUM!
Brit,
You little, stinker, you! Putting the broth on some rice is a right smart idea! Thanks so much for sharing. 😉
I made this last night! It was delicious! thanks for the recipe 🙂 The sauce was great on the mashed potatoes I made for a side.
So glad you enjoyed it, Julia!
I love this delious recipe. I try to make it every couple of weeks for my family. It’s a great change from the ordinary baked chicken. I love it. You wouldn’t have a Hawaiian chicken recipe that’s similar would you?
Thank you, Brinda!
Try swapping out the Apricot preserves with Pineapple preserves. REALLY good!
I made this for dinner tonight. I used a Kroger brand of Russian dressing. My family and I did not like it. I am wondering if it is because I used the Kroger brand. I will try it again with the Wishbone dressing and let you know!
Brie,
I’ve never used a store brand Russian dressing. As you can see from all the comments, this is a very popular recipe. You’re the first person who commented they didn’t like it. 🙁
It had rave reviews, thats why I had to try it! I will give it another go using Wishbone dressing!
I followed the directions exactly and the tops of my chicken turned black and were burnt. Thankfully I was able to just peel the skin off (which would have been slimy anyways, not crispy). The flavor of the chicken was awesome and I’ll probably do it the same way again knowing I won’t have crispy skin. Chicken was nice and moist. Next time I’m trying home made orange marmalade since I’ve canned so much of it. Served with mixed veggies and a side salad.
Rebekah,
Did you have your oven rack up to close to the heat source? I’ve never had the skin burn like you described and it always crispy.
Hi Jackie I would so love to try this but we dont have russian dressing here 🙁 what are the main ingredients to dressing please thanks Liz
Russian dressing is very similar to French or Catalina. Do you have either of those?
If you don’t like the onion soup mix can something else be used instead?
Penny,
Is it the taste of onion that you don’t like? Onion soup mix brings in the flavors of onion plus a hearty beefy flavor. Tell me what it is that you don’t like and we will try to figure out a substitute for you. Although, when the soup is mixed with the other flavors, you can’t differentiate it.
Found this on Pinterest and made it for dinner tonight using skin on/bone in chicken breasts with mashed potatoes and green beans. Delicious. Used the Russian dressing, Apricot and Onion soup mix. It was amazing. My husband worked late and came home to this at 7:30 and gave it an A+. A keeper for sure.
Amy,
I’m so glad you enjoyed this. Thanks for letting us be part of your meal. 🙂
Kim
My Mother has been making this for years. But has never used the Russian dressing. Only soup mix and apricot. What the difference with using the salad dressing?
I have made this recipe many time, except I use chicken wings for a terrific appetizer!! Make it exactly as you state. This is my go to Christmas, New Year’s Eve, tailgate or Super Bowl party “hit” appetizer! First appetizer gone. Love it.
Julie,
I bet wings are delicious cooked this way! So glad you enjoy them. Thanks for stopping by.
I made this a couple of months ago and it was AWESOME!! I went to get the ingredient’s this past week to make it again and none of the grocery stores in my town sells the Knorr’s French Onion soup mix anymore. Can something else be substituted?
Angie,
I’ve used other brands, including a store brand, with good results.
Girl I’m eating it right now! All I did was use Polaner Orange Marmalade instead. Love it, love it. Can’t talk no more have to eat. Thanks
LOL! So happy that YOU’RE happy.
Tested this in my lab (kitchen) tonight, and loved it! Shared it on my Facebook business page.
Thank you so very much!
Wow I’ve pinned this for later, so many good reviews I need to try it!
I hope you try it, Emily. I need to update this post. The pictures are awful.
Jackie, I keep Lipton onion soup mix around but it doesn’t say “French onion soup”. Are they the same or is there specifically a French onion soup mix?
Lipton’s dry onion soup is what you need.