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I have a confession: I bought a bottle of Russian dressing and let it sit in my fridge for six months before I finally made this Russian apricot chicken recipe. Six months! The sauce is sweet, tangy, a little glossy, and deeply savory all at once. It has become one of those recipes I come back to again and again on busy weeknights when I need dinner to basically make itself. The best part? You only need four ingredients, and one of them is the chicken. That’s it.
4-Ingredient Russian Chicken with Apricot Preserves
This isn’t some internet myth of a recipe that sounds better than it tastes. The magic here is in how the three sauce ingredients–Catalina dressing (often labeled as Russian dressing), apricot preserves, and dry onion soup mix–work together. The Catalina dressing brings a sweet, tangy, tomato-ey depth, the apricot jam adds fruity sweetness and helps the sauce caramelize beautifully in the oven, and the onion soup mix seasons the whole thing, so you don’t have to measure a single spice.
When you baste the chicken as it bakes, that sauce keeps thickening and layering on flavor. By the time it hits the table, it looks and tastes like something that took way more effort than it did.
If you love the sweet-tangy combo that apricot preserves bring to savory dishes, my Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops are worth bookmarking too.
A Note on Russian Dressing
There are two types of Russian dressing at the store, and they are NOT interchangeable. You want the red, oily Catalina-style dressing, not the creamy white kind you’d put on a Reuben. Wishbone labels both versions as “Russian dressing,” which is so confusing. If in doubt, grab a bottle labeled Catalina dressing instead, or make a quick homemade version with ketchup, oil, vinegar, and a little sugar. Using the wrong one will give you a very different (and not great) result.
Chicken Breasts vs. Chicken Thighs
I tested this recipe with both boneless, skinless chicken breasts and chicken thighs, and the thighs won by a mile. Because they’re dark meat, they stayed noticeably juicier and more tender throughout the bake, and the sauce clung to them way better.
That said, chicken breasts still work here, especially with all that sauce going on. Just watch them closely, since they can dry out at the higher bake temperature. Check the internal temperature a few minutes early, and pull them as soon as they hit 165°F.
Bone-in chicken thighs are also a great option. Just add about 10–15 extra minutes to the bake time and use a thermometer to confirm they’ve reached 165°F. The bone helps retain moisture and adds a little extra richness to the sauce as it bakes.
How to Make Russian Apricot Chicken
This is truly one of the most low-effort dinners in my rotation. First, preheat the oven, line your baking dish with two layers of foil (trust me on this; cleanup is brutal without it), and arrange your chicken breasts/thighs in the dish in a single layer.
Next, whisk together the Catalina dressing, apricot preserves, and dry onion soup mix until combined; pour the sauce all over the chicken; and bake, basting every 10-15 minutes with the sauce that pools in the bottom of the pan to help create a glossy sauce.
Optionally, in the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on your broiler and let the sauce caramelize and bubble on top of the chicken. Keep a close eye on it since it can go from caramelized to burnt pretty quickly.
Can I Make This in a Crockpot?
Yes! This Russian apricot chicken translates really well to the slow cooker, which makes it an even better weeknight option. Here’s how to do it:
Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Whisk together the Catalina dressing, apricot preserves, and dry onion soup mix, then pour it over the chicken. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Keep in mind, the sauce won’t caramelize or thicken in the slow cooker the way it does in the oven. If you want that caramelized finish, transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet and pop it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. It’s a quick extra step, but totally worth it.
What Can I Use Instead of Apricot Jam?
If you’re out of apricot preserves, don’t stress. There are a few easy swaps:
- Peach preserves are the closest substitute and work beautifully. The flavor is almost identical in the final dish.
- Orange marmalade adds a slightly more citrusy, bitter note but still delivers that sweet-tangy contrast you’re looking for.
- Pineapple jam or preserves gives it a more tropical spin and pairs especially well with the tangy dressing.
I’d avoid anything too tart (like raspberry or cherry) since the sauce already has plenty of acidity from the dressing.
Serving Suggestions
The sauce in this dish is the star, so you want something that can soak it up. My go-to pairings:
- White Rice or Jasmine Rice is the most classic option, and it’s honestly perfect.
- Egg noodles have a buttery, soft texture that’s great for soaking up that sauce.
- Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, Cold Garlic and Soy Green Beans, or Roasted Lemony Pesto Asparagus helps balance the richness.
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes are great if you want to lean all the way into cozy comfort food mode.
Don’t forget to spoon the extra sauce from the bottom of the baking dish over everything. It’s too good to leave behind!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Leftover chicken keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce actually gets a little thicker and more concentrated as it sits, which I personally love. To reheat, warm it gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave it covered in 30-second intervals until heated through.
This is also a great recipe to freeze. Let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Russian Apricot Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package of dry onion soup mix
- 1 cup (237 ml) catalina dressing
- 1 cup (237 g) apricot preserves
- 1 ½ pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and line a baking pan with two layers of foil and place chicken into the pan.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together onion soup mix, catalina dressing, and apricot preserves.1 package of dry onion soup mix, 1 cup (237 ml) catalina dressing, 1 cup (237 g) apricot preserves
- Pour the mixture all over the chicken.1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes, or when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 °F (74 °C)
- While baking, you'll want to baste it often with either a brush or a baster. Just so the chicken gets re-coated with the delicious sauce.
- If you want, 5 minutes or so before the chicken is done, you can pop it under the broiler to get the sauce to caramelize a bit on the chicken but this is totally optional.
- Serve with your favorite veggies or grains.
Nutrition
Photographs by Jess Gaertner Creative
No wonder people have diabetes !!! 79 grams of carbs, omg!!!!!!!!!! and carbs turn into glucose in the body. Shame on you.
yes, i am the reason why diabetes is prevalent in america 🙄 included nutritional information is exactly why it is there – for folks to be able to make educated decisions on what they eat. and to clarify: all the sauce is not used in the recipe…it’s not like you’re drinking it. it’s just cooking in the sauce.
This was so good! I took your advice and used chicken thighs. Wow! And that sauce was extra yummy over some white rice. Served with a salad.
I’ve made this twice. Both times the sauce burned So I’d say 400 is way too hot. Also 1000 cal per serving?? Pretty hefty
I was simply looking for an apricot chicken recipe and stumbled upon this . Whats not to like, it had all ingredients that call for easy assembley then baked in the oven. I used bottled Catalina because I read the recipe incorrectly. So in my case, three ingredients plus chicken. SIMPLE . This is a delicious chicken recipe!
YOUR CAULIFLOWER KUGLE RECIPE LISTED 12 CUPSO F MATZOH MEAL!!!!!!!! I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 12T.
I WASTED LOTS OF TIME AND INGREDIENTS!!!!
Okay first, this recipe has nothing to do with cauliflower. And second, there is no matzoh meal in this chicken recipe. Not exactly sure where you are seeing this…
I absolutely love this recipe and plan to make it for my New Year’s dinner!!! I serve it with Knorr Sides rice medley and King’s Hawaiian rolls!!! Absolutely delicious!!! For a tasty twist, add an 8oz. can of pineapple tidbits, drained, to the sauce!!! Serve on a bed of Knorr Sides teriyaki rice!!! A perfect meal for Chinese New Year!!! (February 16)
if i use chicken thight, what suitable temperature i can use
You would use the same temperature
I have been making this for years but always use the crockpot. Just put the chicken in and cover with the sauce!
I have been making this recipe for well over 20 years. Much easier to just buy Kraft Catalina Dressing. And, instead of adding all the salt from the soup, I just add dehydrated onion. Also, this works well with no matter what kind of jam or jelly you use. It is delicious.
Thank you for sharing your homemade Russian dressing.
@Mary Mohler, Thanks for comments about the jelly. I just looked in the pantry knowing I have jelly. It is peach not apricot. I love the idea of lowering the salt. We’ll be giving this a try.
Am I supposed to mix the russian dressing stuff that we made in a large bowl with the onion mix etc. from the measuring cup, then pour it over the chicken?
Yes, exactly! :) if you don’t have a large enough measuring cup, feel free to pour into the large bowl with the dressing and mix altogether. I had you mix in the measuring cup because it’s easier to pour over the chicken because of the spout.