My grandmother made this every Sunday after church for 40 years. Only 3 ingredients and the gravy practically makes itself.

This oven baked 3-ingredient chicken fricassee is the kind of quietly brilliant recipe that anchored a lot of Midwestern Sunday dinners. It’s not a classical French fricassee with wine and herbs, but a pared-down, church-supper version: bone-in chicken, onions, and a can of cream of mushroom soup that turns into a silky, pale golden gravy while it bakes. Everything happens in one casserole dish, the oven does the work, and you end up with tender chicken and soft, sweet onions under a spoonable, self-made sauce—exactly the kind of comfort food a grandmother could make every week for 40 years without getting tired of it.

Baked chicken fricassee in a casserole dish
Baked chicken fricassee in a casserole dish
Serve this chicken fricassee straight from the casserole dish with plenty of something starchy to catch the gravy—mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or steamed white rice all work beautifully. A simple green vegetable like peas, green beans, or a tossed salad balances the richness. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are perfect for swiping up the last of the silky sauce in the bottom of the dish.

Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Chicken Fricassee
Servings: 4

Ingredients
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a medium white oval or rectangular casserole dish so the chicken and onions don’t stick.

Greased casserole dish ready for assembling
Greased casserole dish ready for assembling
Scatter the thinly sliced onions evenly over the bottom of the casserole dish. This onion bed will soften and sweeten in the oven and help flavor the gravy.

Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the onions in a single layer, skin side up. Nestle them in so they’re touching but not stacked; this helps them cook evenly and keeps the meat moist.

Raw chicken thighs layered over sliced onions
Raw chicken thighs layered over sliced onions
Spoon the cream of mushroom soup over the chicken pieces, dividing it fairly evenly. Use the back of the spoon to gently spread the soup so most of the chicken and some of the onions are lightly coated. Don’t add water or extra liquid—the chicken juices will thin the soup into a creamy gravy as it bakes.

Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. During this time, the chicken will release juices, the onions will soften, and the soup will melt down into a pale golden, silky sauce.

Foil-covered casserole before baking

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