My neighbor Dorothy brought this to our potluck in 1978 and I begged her for the recipe for two years before she finally shared it.

This oven baked 5-ingredient chicken marengo is the kind of cozy, no-fuss casserole that shows up at every church basement potluck in our town. My neighbor Dorothy brought this to our potluck in 1978 and I begged her for the recipe for two years before she finally shared it. It’s all about tender, oven-braised chicken thighs nestled in mushrooms and tomatoes, bubbling in a rich brown sauce that tastes like you fussed all afternoon. Everything happens in one deep baking dish, and it’s simple enough for a weeknight but special enough for company.

This dish is wonderful spooned over fluffy white rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes so they can soak up all that brown, tomato-mushroom gravy. A simple green salad or steamed green beans on the side helps balance the richness. If you’re serving a crowd, add a basket of warm crusty bread or dinner rolls for dipping into the sauce. For a cozy family night, I like to bring the whole casserole dish right to the table and let everyone scoop out a glazed thigh and plenty of sauce.

Oven-Baked 5-Ingredient Chicken Marengo

Servings: 6

Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6–8 pieces), patted dry
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms (white or cremini)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral cooking oil for browning the chicken (optional but recommended)
Directions