This oven baked 4-ingredient chicken catalina is my kind of “company chicken” – the kind of dish you can slide into the oven while you tidy up the house and set out the good napkins. The recipe is based on one I found in my grandmother’s old recipe box labeled “Company Chicken 1972.” She made it for every summer gathering: glossy, tangy-sweet chicken thighs baked in a ruby-red Catalina dressing until the edges turned just a little crispy and caramelized. It’s simple enough for a busy weeknight, but special enough to bring to a potluck or serve when the neighbors pop over for dinner.
Serve this chicken straight from the glass baking dish with a big serving spoon so everyone can scoop up extra sauce. It’s wonderful over white rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes to soak up all those tangy juices. Add a simple green side like steamed green beans, a tossed salad with ranch, or grilled corn on the cob to round out the plate. For summer gatherings, I like to put it out with a bowl of coleslaw, some dinner rolls, and sliced watermelon so people can help themselves and linger around the table.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Chicken CatalinaServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6–8 pieces)
1 cup Catalina salad dressing
1 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the chicken doesn’t stick and cleanup is easier.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and trim any excess skin or large pockets of fat. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking dish, skin side up, with a little space between each piece so they can brown.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the Catalina dressing, cranberry sauce, and dry onion soup mix until fairly smooth. It’s fine if there are still some cranberry chunks; they’ll melt into the sauce as it bakes.
Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken thighs, lifting the pieces slightly with a spoon or tongs so the sauce can run underneath. Make sure each piece is well coated and there’s sauce in the bottom of the dish for basting and serving.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. This helps the chicken cook through gently and keeps it juicy.
After 30 minutes, carefully remove the foil (watch for steam) and baste the chicken with the sauce from the pan using a spoon. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 25–35 minutes, basting once or twice more, until the chicken is cooked through, the sauce is thickened and glossy, and the edges are beginning to caramelize. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat, not touching bone.
For extra crispy edges and deeper caramelization like in those old family photos, switch the oven to broil for the last 2–4 minutes, watching very closely so the sugars in the sauce don’t burn. You want the sauce to bubble and darken slightly around the edges.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes. This helps the juices settle and the sauce thicken a bit more. Serve the chicken straight from the glass dish, spooning plenty of the tangy ruby-red sauce over each portion.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts; just reduce the covered baking time to about 20 minutes and then continue uncovered until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). If your family prefers less sweetness, use 3/4 cup Catalina dressing and 3/4 cup cranberry sauce, then add 2–3 tablespoons water or chicken broth to thin it slightly. For a bit of heat, stir in 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce. If you don’t have Catalina dressing, French dressing can stand in, though the flavor will be a little less tangy. To bulk it up for a crowd, tuck baby potatoes or thick carrot coins around the chicken before pouring on the sauce, making sure they’re mostly submerged so they cook through. Food safety tips: Always thaw chicken completely in the refrigerator (never on the counter) before baking. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken, and wash hands, boards, and knives well with hot soapy water after handling. Check doneness with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone; it must reach 165°F (74°C). Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container and reheat to 165°F (74°C) before serving again.
