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 a wonderfully rich, comforting modernization of a timeless French classic. Traditionally, Chicken Marengo features a hearty sauce made of tomatoes, mushrooms, and wine to celebrate a historic military victory. This clever version streamlines everything into a brilliant, low-stress casserole that utilizes pantry shortcuts to build a deep, complex flavor profile. By combining robust diced tomatoes with savory condensed cream of mushroom soup, you get a velvety, deeply umami gravy that perfectly coats the juicy chicken thighs and earthy sliced mushrooms as they slow-braise under a foil blanket.

Oven-Baked 5-Ingredient Chicken Marengo

Ingredients:

Step-by-Step Directions:

Step 1: Prep the Oven and Casserole: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a deep 9×13-inch ceramic casserole dish with a tiny splash of oil or cooking spray and set it aside.

Step 2: Season and Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels on both sides, then sprinkle them uniformly with the kosher salt and black pepper. If you are opting for the recommended flavor-boosting step, heat the 2 / tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken thighs in batches, skin-side down, for 4 / to 5 / minutes until deep golden brown. Flip and sear the reverse side for 2 / to 3 / minutes, then transfer them skin-side up into your prepared casserole dish in a single layer.

A Friendly Kitchen Note: If you are pressed for time, you can absolutely skip the skillet searing altogether! Simply place the seasoned, raw chicken thighs directly into the casserole dish skin-side up. However, taking those few extra minutes to sear flash-renders the chicken fat, locking in moisture and guaranteeing an incredibly rich flavor depth in the final gravy.

Step 3: Nestles the Mushrooms: Scatter your sliced white or cremini mushrooms evenly all around and over the chicken thighs. Use your fingers or a spoon to gently tuck some of the mushroom slices down into the gaps between the meat pieces so they are nestled against the floor of the pan, where they can readily absorb the emerging chicken juices.

Step 4: Combine and Pour the Marengo Sauce: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the can of diced tomatoes (including all of their packing juices) and the can of condensed cream of mushroom soup until the mixture is unified. It will look relatively thick and slightly lumpy, which is completely fine! Pour this thick sauce evenly over the chicken and mushrooms, ensuring every piece has sauce draped around it, but leave the very crown of the chicken skins peeking out above the liquid line.

Step 5: The Covered Braise: Seal the casserole dish tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil, crimping the edges securely around the rim. Place the dish onto the center rack of your oven and bake covered for 45 / minutes, allowing the chicken to gently braise in the steaming tomato-mushroom liquid.

Step 6: The Uncovered Reduction Blast: Carefully lift off the aluminum foil, keeping your hands back to avoid the rush of hot steam. Use a large spoon to ladle a bit of the hot pan sauce over the tops of the chicken thighs. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 25 / to 35 / minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the mushrooms are completely soft, the sauce is thickened and bubbling fiercely, and the chicken registers an internal temperature of at least 165°F in its thickest part near the bone.

Step 7: Optional Broil and Rest: If you want a deeper, glossy color on your chicken, flip the oven to broil for 2 / to 3 / minutes at the very end, watching it like a hawk so the skin doesn’t cross over into a burn. Let the casserole rest on the counter for 5 / to 10 / minutes to allow the sauce viscosity to settle, then serve hot over your favorite starch!