Description
Catalina Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make baked chicken dish featuring a tangy-sweet sauce made from Catalina salad dressing, apricot preserves, and dry onion soup mix. The chicken is first seared to a golden brown on the stovetop, then baked until perfectly tender and juicy, making it a perfect weeknight dinner option.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (3 to 4 pieces)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
Sauce
- 1 cup Kraft Catalina salad dressing
- ½ cup apricot preserves
- 1.25 ounce packet dry onion soup mix
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Garnish
- Minced fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare Chicken: If the chicken breasts are very thick, pound them to about ½-inch thickness for even cooking. For smaller portions, cut large pieces in half.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the chicken breasts and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until they are light golden brown. Transfer the seared chicken to the prepared baking dish. Repeat this process with the remaining tablespoon of oil and chicken breasts.
- Make Sauce: In a bowl, combine the Kraft Catalina salad dressing, apricot preserves, dry onion soup mix, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
- Pour Sauce and Bake: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken in the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. For a bubbly sauce finish, optionally broil the chicken for 1-2 minutes at the end, taking care not to burn it.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly during this time. Spoon the thickened sauce over the chicken pieces and garnish with minced fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot with extra sauce on top.
Notes
- To ensure even cooking, pounding chicken breasts to uniform thickness is recommended.
- Broiling is optional but adds a nice bubbly finish to the sauce—watch closely to prevent burning.
- The sauce thickens as it rests after baking, perfect for spooning over the chicken.
- Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Substitute apricot preserves with peach or pineapple preserves for a different flavor twist.
Keywords: Catalina chicken, baked chicken, easy chicken recipe, chicken with Catalina dressing, sweet and tangy chicken