There are some dinners that prove you don’t need a long ingredient list to make something incredibly satisfying. This 3-Ingredient Tavern Chicken Dinner is one of those recipes.
Tender chicken thighs are baked slowly with a rich, savory sauce made from just a couple of simple pantry ingredients. As the chicken cooks, its juices blend with the sauce, creating a flavorful gravy that is perfect for spooning over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or roasted vegetables.
The result is warm, hearty comfort food with very little preparation.
The chicken shown in the photo has beautifully browned skin and a generous amount of savory sauce underneath. Chicken thighs are especially well suited to this recipe because they stay juicy during baking and develop excellent flavor as they cook.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This dinner is ideal when you want something homemade without spending a long time in the kitchen.
Only 3 Main Ingredients
The basic recipe requires:
Chicken thighs
Condensed cream of chicken soup
Dry onion soup mix
That’s the heart of the recipe.
You don’t need to prepare a complicated marinade, make gravy separately, or chop a dozen vegetables.
Minimal Preparation
The preparation is mostly a matter of arranging the chicken, mixing the sauce, and putting everything into the oven.
The oven does most of the work.
Rich, Savory Flavor
The cream of chicken soup creates a smooth, rich base while the onion soup mix provides concentrated onion flavor and seasoning.
As the chicken cooks, its juices combine with the sauce and create an even deeper flavor.
Great for Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are forgiving compared with leaner cuts of chicken.
They contain more fat and connective tissue, which helps them remain juicy and flavorful during longer cooking.
Bone-in, skin-on thighs are particularly delicious because the skin can brown while the meat remains tender underneath.
Ingredients
1. Chicken Thighs
Use approximately 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
You can use more or fewer depending on the size of your baking dish and how many people you’re feeding.
Before cooking, pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Dry skin browns more effectively than wet skin.
If your thighs are very large, they may require additional cooking time.
2. Cream of Chicken Soup
You’ll need one 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup.
Don’t dilute the soup with water or milk for the basic recipe.
The chicken releases moisture as it cooks, which naturally loosens the sauce.
