Some of the best suppers come from the kind of recipe a country cook keeps tucked in the back of her mind for busy days, when there is work to do and folks still expect a good hot meal at the table. This 4-ingredient oven chicken is just that sort of dish: plain, practical, and mighty satisfying. Chicken leg quarters bake up tender and flavorful in a simple savory red sauce, and the oven does most of the work while you tend to the rest of the day.
This chicken is especially good served with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, rice, or a piece of warm bread to catch every bit of the sauce. For vegetables, green beans, sweet corn, peas, or a crisp side salad all make fine partners. If you want to stretch the meal for a hungry table, set out applesauce, coleslaw, or baked beans alongside.
4-Ingredient Oven Chicken
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 raw chicken leg quarters
1 cup savory red sauce such as ketchup-based barbecue sauce or chili sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish.
2. Arrange the raw chicken leg quarters in the casserole dish in a single layer.
3. In a bowl, stir together the red sauce, dry onion soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined.
4. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, turning the pieces once if needed so they are well coated.
5. Bake uncovered for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the chicken is deeply browned, tender, and reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
6. Spoon some of the pan sauce over the chicken before serving.
Variations & Tips
Make it sweeter: If your family likes that old-fashioned sweet-and-savory flavor, use a sweeter barbecue sauce or stir a spoonful of brown sugar into the sauce before pouring it over the chicken.
Add a little heat: For a livelier pan of chicken, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the mixture. It gives the dish a bit more backbone without changing its easy nature.
Use other chicken pieces: Thighs or drumsticks work nicely too, though they may bake a little faster than full leg quarters. Just keep an eye on the internal temperature and pull them when they reach 165°F.
Best baking tip: If the chicken is browning too quickly before it turns tender, loosely cover the dish with foil for part of the baking time. If you want thicker sauce at the end, spoon some into a small saucepan and simmer it for a few minutes before serving.