4 Ingredient Sweet and Tangy Chicken is a go to family friendly recipe and one of the most popular on our site. The chicken cooks in a delectable sauce made from common pantry items.
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.
Sweet and Tangy Chicken
Ingredients
- 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 small jar of apricot preserves or about a cupful
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl.
- Place chicken pieces in a baking pan. Sprinkle with pepper. No extra salt is needed.
- Pour sauce over chicken and make sure it’s coated well.
- Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until chicken is done. Baste several times during cooking. This is the way the chicken will look when done.
This post contains affiliates links. If you purchase an item through one of the links, I might make a penny or two.
Lark (SparkLarky) says
So glad you joined us here on “Made it on Monday” link party!
This looks finger licking good!
Gloria says
Saw this on Pinterest… ! This looks SO good. Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Gloria
Jackie Garvin says
Hi Gloria! Welcome to Syrup and Biscuits. I’m so happy you found us. Enjoy the Comeback Sauce! 🙂
sheila stark says
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
Jackie Garvin says
Orange marmalade sounds like a great substitute. Your mama probably added a thickening agent like cornstarch or flour.
ConnieBee says
It was probably the cooked rice they used to put in the pan under the raw marinated chicken and poured the sauce over before baking. The edges of the rice became almost candied. This dish is great with either orange marmalade, apricot jam, or cranberry sauce.
CG says
Just had to add that Comeback sauce is called Comeback bc you always Come Back for more!!! Mississippi raised, Texas livin’ girl 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Hi CG!
Thanks for stopping by. It was named right. That’s for sure! I appreciate your comment. Hello to Texas! 🙂
Emily says
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. 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Emily! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Patti says
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.
Jackie Garvin says
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. 🙂
Patti says
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!
Patti says
I just discovered that Kraft Catalina dressing would be similar to Wishbone Russian dressing. 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
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. 🙂
Tanya S. says
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!
Jackie Garvin says
Tanya,
You’re the second person who’s commented that they called this Russian Chicken! 🙂 Your variations sounds wonderful! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
BA Wolf says
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!
Jackie Garvin says
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!
Courtney says
Has anyone tried using boneless, skinless chicken? Will it turn out okay?
Jackie Garvin says
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! 🙂
Deborah says
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’!! 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
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! 🙂
Danielle says
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!
Deana says
Have you tried making it in the crockpot?
Jackie Garvin says
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.
Laura says
I am making this for the 2nd time. So delicious! Found it on Pinterest…
Jackie Garvin says
Laura,
I’m so glad you enjoy it! It’s a recipe that I make quite often, too. 🙂
Mary says
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?
Jackie Garvin says
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. 🙂
Mary says
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
Jackie Garvin says
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! 🙂
Sharon says
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.
Jackie Garvin says
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!
Teresa says
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!!
Jackie Garvin says
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! 🙂
Teresa says
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!!
Jackie Garvin says
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. 🙂
Pam says
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!
Jackie Garvin says
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 🙂
Tara says
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?
Jackie Garvin says
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. 🙂
Jessica says
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!
Jackie Garvin says
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!
KS says
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!!!
Jackie Garvin says
KS,
Orange marmalade would be great. I’ve made it with peach preserves, too.
Kayla Kendall says
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?
Jackie Garvin says
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.
Eva says
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.
Jackie Garvin says
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! 🙂
Jerilyn says
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?
Jackie Garvin says
Jerilyn,
You are right on target with your chicken wings idea. It’s perfectly delicious and I guarantee the wings won’t last long. 🙂