This is amazing and so easy to make. I've made this 4 times already and I must say, I prefer it better with Catalina dressing rather than French/Italian, which I tried out too. I made this with thighs and is just perfect (+cheaper, too). Definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing!
***Just made this for a 5th time & was asked for the recipe by my own momma.
TIP: Bake at 350 for 1 Hr, flip the chicken over, baste with juices & pop back in the oven for another 15-20 mins to get a caramalized effect. And definitely use Catalina over French/Italian, trust me***
Great recipe, especially if you don't have all the ingredients. I "improvised" and it turned out great. My husband wanted more! Here's what I did: A cup of apricot preserves, a cup of Italian dressing, and in place of the onion soup mix, I made my own. I used 1 tbsp onion flakes, 1 tbsp meat tenderizer seasoning, 1/4 cup of chicken broth, a pinch of pepper, and a pinch of sugar. I combined all the ingredients and poured it over my chicken pieces and dropped small spoonfuls of butter over the chicken to help brown the meat. I cooked it for 50 minutes. During cooking, I also spooned the marinade over the chicken a few times. Very easy, very simple. Just make sure you TASTE the marianade before using it. If it doesn't taste good before you put it on the chicken, it won't taste good after either. Get the sauce to your liking.
I have made this recipe for years, only I have always used Italian dressing in place of French dressing. I will have to try French dressing for a change. In recent years (now that we are more fat conscious)I always use the apricot jam, mixed with a package of dry Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix and 1/4 vinegar (skip the oil). This is a recipe I fall back on all the time.
I have made this recipe for many years using Wishbone Red Russian dressing (not as sweet as french dressing) using chicken thighs. I found the breast meat too dry. This recipe is always requested for "potluck dinners". Yesterday, I did not want to use the oven, so I made it on top of the stove and it was just as good as oven baked. I did the same as if I was going to bake it. Placed the chicken thighs in one layer in a large skillet, added ingredients and simmered for 45 minutes. Excellent!!
What a great recipe! Incredibly easy to make and very tasty. My husband and friends loved it. I scaled the recipe to 4 servings and used 4 skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs. I also marinated the chicken breasts in the apricot mixture for an hour before baking and then served them over brown rice. I will absolutely make this recipe again-- it is delicious!
OK, so I don't know why I am different than everyone else but I had some problems with this dish. This is not a recipe where you just pour on the sauce and walk away. I checked mine after about 10 minutes of cooking and all the sauce had slid off the thighs and was burning, because of all the sugar, onto the baking dish. Thank goodness I had lined the pan as a precaution but a novice cook may not have known to do that. I re basted and turned them several times during cooking until I finally thought some of the sauce was on the chicken, not just the pan. That being said with lots of tending the final product was moist and flavorful. I think this dish would be much better by first browning the thighs and then putting them in a crock pot. If you are using the oven, put them in the smallest possible dish so the sauce doesnt just run of the sides. Oh my gosh, DO NOT forget to line the pan with foil.
This is a great recipe. I added pineapple chunks for the last 10 min and served it with rice and a garden salad.
Made this when we hosted another couple for an evening of cards. Used 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs and subbed 1 cup chopped onion for the onion soup (cuts down on the salt and the sugar as well). Covered it the first 30 minutes of baking to keep the preserves from burning. Served with brown rice and broccoli.
We loved this recipe! The chicken came out moist and tender with a wonderful fruity tangy flavor. I was worried that it would be too sweet, but it added a subtle earthy richness to the chicken instead.This is a keeper! Thanks Jeanne.
