Chicken Russian Dressing: Apricot Onion Soup Recipe

Chicken Russian dressing is an easy baked chicken dish coated in a sweet-tangy sauce made with Russian dressing, apricot preserves, and dry onion soup mix. The sauce turns glossy as it bakes and seasons the chicken without a long list of ingredients. It is an American-style pantry recipe, best served hot with rice, potatoes, or bread to catch the sauce.

Ingredients

6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, about 3 lb (1.36 kg), trimmed of excess fat. Choose pieces of similar size so they finish cooking at roughly the same time.
1 cup (240 ml) Russian dressing. Use a creamy, tangy bottled Russian-style dressing; the exact sweetness and spice level vary by brand.
1 cup (about 320 g) apricot preserves. Smooth or lightly chunky preserves both work.
1 packet (about 1 oz / 28 g) dry onion soup mix. Check the packet size if using a different brand or package format.
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard, for a little extra sharpness.
1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar, to balance the sweetness.
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (about 0.5 g). The soup mix is already salty, so additional salt is usually unnecessary.
1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral cooking oil, for greasing the baking dish.
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, only if needed to thin a particularly thick dressing or preserve mixture.

Instructions

Heat the oven and prepare the dish. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350°F (177°C). Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish with the oil. Blot the chicken dry with paper towels and trim away loose pieces of fat. Drying the surface helps the sauce cling instead of sliding off.
Mix the sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the Russian dressing, apricot preserves, onion soup mix, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and black pepper. Break up any large clumps of preserves or soup mix so the seasoning is distributed throughout. If the mixture is so thick that it will not pour, stir in the water a teaspoon at a time; it should coat a spoon but still spread easily.
Arrange the chicken. Set the thighs in the baking dish in a single layer, with a little space between pieces. Turn each piece once in the sauce, then arrange it with the thicker side facing outward where possible. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and into the spaces around the chicken. Avoid stacking the pieces, since crowded chicken cooks less evenly.
Bake until nearly done. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, then check the thickest thigh with an instant-read food thermometer, avoiding contact with the bone. Continue baking as needed, checking every 5 minutes. Most bone-in thighs of this size take about 50 minutes in total, though oven temperatures and piece size affect the timing.
Confirm the safe temperature. The chicken is ready when the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C); the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for poultry is 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. If one thigh reaches temperature before the others, move it to a clean plate and return the remaining pieces to the oven. Do not rely on sauce color or clear juices alone to judge doneness.
Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest in the dish for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon some of the warm sauce over each portion. If the sauce looks oily, gently stir the sauce in the dish before spooning; if it is very thick, stir in a tablespoon of hot water. Keep raw-chicken utensils away from the cooked chicken and use a clean serving spoon.

Tips

Choose a dressing you enjoy. Russian dressing is tangy and usually has a little sweetness and spice. Bottled versions differ, so taste a small spoonful before mixing. If yours is especially sweet, the vinegar in the recipe helps balance it; if it is quite sharp, you can leave the vinegar out.
Watch the sauce near the end. Preserves contain sugar, so the exposed sauce can darken if it is baked too long or the oven runs hot. Check the chicken at 45 minutes, and tent the dish loosely with foil if the top is browning quickly before the chicken reaches temperature. Do not tightly seal the dish from the start, or the sauce may stay thin and watery.
Keep the chicken pieces similar in size. If some thighs are much larger than others, the small ones may finish first. Check each piece individually and remove cooked pieces to a clean plate while the larger ones continue baking. A thermometer gives a more dependable answer than adding a fixed amount of time.
Adjust salt cautiously. Onion soup mix can be salty, and dressing contributes more seasoning. Make the sauce without extra salt, then taste it after baking. If using a reduced-sodium soup mix, taste the finished sauce before deciding whether it needs a pinch.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the chicken with steamed rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes; each gives the sauce somewhere to go. For a lighter plate, pair it with roasted green beans, broccoli, or a crisp salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette. A loaf of crusty bread is useful for wiping up the sweet-savory sauce. Since the chicken and sauce are richly flavored, keep side dishes simply seasoned rather than adding another strongly sweet or salty element.

For a family-style meal, transfer the thighs to a warm platter and spoon sauce over them just before bringing them to the table. Put extra sauce in a small serving bowl, using a clean spoon. If you are serving rice or noodles, spoon a little sauce over the starch rather than pouring all of it on at once; that makes it easier for everyone to choose how much they want.

Variations

Use boneless thighs. Substitute 2½ to 3 lb (1.13 to 1.36 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They generally cook faster than bone-in thighs, so start checking for 165°F (74°C) after about 30 minutes. Exact time depends on thickness, and the thermometer—not the clock—determines when they are safe.
Try chicken breasts. Boneless breasts can work, but they are leaner and can dry out if left in the oven too long. Choose pieces of similar thickness, begin checking around 25 minutes, and remove each as soon as its center reaches 165°F (74°C). If breasts vary greatly in size, pound the thicker ends gently to even them out.
Swap the preserves. Peach preserves make a mild, rounded sauce; orange marmalade gives it a more pronounced citrus-bitter note. Either can replace the apricot preserves in the same amount. The result will be less distinctly apricot-flavored, and marmalade may make the sauce a little sharper.
Use a practical dressing substitute. If Russian dressing is unavailable, use an equal amount of Thousand Island dressing. It is usually sweeter and often contains relish, so the finished sauce may be less tangy and have a slightly chunkier texture. Add the vinegar only after tasting the mixed sauce, and use a small amount if it needs more brightness.
Add vegetables carefully. Thick-cut onion wedges or carrot pieces can bake alongside the chicken if placed in a single layer and coated lightly with sauce. They may need extra time to become tender, so cut them evenly and check them separately. Avoid adding watery vegetables such as zucchini, which can thin the sauce.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce within 2 hours of cooking, in a covered shallow container. Keep it refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in airtight freezer containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, not on the counter; the sauce may separate slightly after thawing, but it can be stirred back together as it warms.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat. For the oven, place the chicken and sauce in a covered baking dish and warm at 325°F (163°C), adding a splash of water if the sauce is very thick. For the microwave, cover the dish loosely and heat in short intervals, turning or rearranging pieces for more even warming. In either case, reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the entire batch, since that makes the chicken drier and complicates safe storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Russian dressing the same as Thousand Island dressing?

They are related creamy dressings, but they are not always identical. Russian dressing is often tangier or spicier, while Thousand Island commonly tastes sweeter and may contain relish. Thousand Island is a convenient substitute here, though the finished chicken may need a little vinegar to balance its sweetness.

Can I prepare the chicken ahead of time?

Yes. Mix the sauce and arrange the chicken in the baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before baking. Keep it chilled until the oven is ready, and do not leave raw chicken at room temperature while the oven heats. Because a cold dish can take longer to warm through, use the thermometer and allow extra baking time if needed.

Can I use a packet of onion soup mix that is a different size?

Use about 1 ounce (28 g) for the balance in this recipe. If your packet is larger, measure out approximately that amount rather than adding the whole packet; extra mix can make the sauce overly salty. If the packet is smaller, use what you have and taste the sauce before adding any other seasoning.

Why is my sauce thin?

Chicken releases moisture as it cooks, and some dressings are thinner than others. A little liquid in the baking dish is normal. After the chicken is safely cooked, move it to a platter and simmer the sauce in a small saucepan for a few minutes to reduce it, stirring often, or serve it as a thinner pan sauce over rice.

How can I tell when the chicken is done without drying it out?

Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of each thigh, without touching bone. Remove each piece when it reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for poultry. Bone-in thighs can remain juicy at that temperature, and checking each piece is more reliable than cutting one open or judging by color.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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