This 3-Ingredient Chicken Charleston is an easy oven dinner made with chicken thighs, a sweet onion and Russian dressing. The chicken bakes right on top of the onion rings. As it cooks, the dressing mixes with the chicken juices to make a sweet, tangy sauce.
It takes about 10 minutes to get the pan ready. Then the oven does most of the work. Serve the chicken with the soft onions and spoon a little sauce over the top.
What you need
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Try to choose thighs that are about the same size. That helps them finish cooking at about the same time. The skin should face up in the baking dish.
1 large sweet onion. Cut it into rings and pull the rings apart. Keep the slices about the same thickness so they all turn soft as they bake.
1 cup Russian dressing. The dressing adds most of the flavor. It coats the chicken and makes the sauce, so use a bottle you like. Some brands are sweeter than others.
How to make Chicken Charleston
Start with the onions
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread the onion rings over the bottom. A little overlap is fine, but try to cover the dish instead of piling them in one spot.
Add the chicken
Place the six chicken thighs over the onions, with the skin facing up. Keep them in one layer. Leave a little room between the pieces if you can, and do not stack them.
Spread on the dressing
Spoon 1 cup of Russian dressing over the chicken. Spread it over the skin of each thigh. Some will run down onto the onions, which is fine. That dressing will mix with the juices in the bottom of the pan.
Bake until the chicken is done
Put the dish in the oven uncovered and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. The tops should turn brown, and the onions should be soft. Large thighs may need more time.
Check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer. It needs to reach at least 165°F (74°C). Keep the tip away from the bone, and check more than one thigh. A brown top does not always mean the middle is done.
Let it rest, then serve
Take the dish out of the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes. Serve each thigh with some onions and a spoonful of sauce. This recipe makes 6 servings, with one thigh per serving.
A few tips for the pan
If the tops get too dark: Lay a loose piece of foil over the dish and keep baking until the chicken is done. You only need the foil if the chicken is getting dark too soon.
Keep the onions near the bottom. Onion rings sitting in the juices will turn soft. Rings sticking up along a dry edge of the dish can brown much faster.
The sauce will be thin. The dressing mixes with onion and chicken juices as it bakes. It is meant for spooning over the meal, so it does not need to be as thick as gravy.
What to serve with it
Rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles all work well with the sauce. Add green beans, broccoli or a simple salad if you want a vegetable on the side.
For potatoes and vegetables in one dish, try Country Ranch Green Beans and Potatoes with Bacon.
Before you start
Do I need to soak the chicken in the dressing first?
No. Put the onions in the dish, add the chicken, spread on the dressing and bake. There is no extra waiting step.
Can I use boneless thighs?
Yes, but they may cook faster. The 45-to-50-minute time is for thighs with bones. Check boneless thighs sooner and use a thermometer to make sure they reach 165°F (74°C).
Do I turn the chicken over?
No. Leave the skin facing up so the dressing can brown on top. Bake the dish uncovered unless the tops start getting too dark.
If you like dinners with a short shopping list, you can also try 4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing.
3-Ingredient Chicken Charleston Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 large sweet onion sliced into rings
- 1 cup Russian dressing
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cut the sweet onion into rings and pull the rings apart. Spread them over the bottom of the dish.
- Place the 6 chicken thighs over the onions in one layer, with the skin facing up. Do not stack the pieces.
- Spoon 1 cup of Russian dressing over the chicken. Spread it over the skin of each thigh.
- Bake uncovered for about 45 to 50 minutes. Check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer, keeping the tip away from the bone. It needs to reach at least 165°F (74°C). Large thighs may need more time.
- Take the dish out of the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes.
- Serve one chicken thigh with some soft onions and a spoonful of the sauce from the dish.
