My mother-in-law made this for every wedding party from 1975 to 2010. Only 3 ingredients and people still ask for the recipe.
This is the kind of dish that appeared on nearly every church-basement buffet table from the mid-1970s through the early 2000s, usually served in a well-worn glass baking dish with someone’s name etched into the bottom. My mother-in-law called it her “chicken knuckle,” and I don’t think she ever brought home any leftovers.
It requires only three simple ingredients, but the way the sauce slowly cooks around the chicken creates a glossy, flavorful glaze with irresistibly sticky, caramelized edges. It’s the recipe people still ask me to make for funerals, baby showers, potlucks, and every small-town gathering in between.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken is perfect served alongside fluffy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, which soak up all that delicious extra sauce. For a potluck, I usually pair it with baked rice, a large green salad, and buttered corn or green beans.
Dinner rolls or slices of soft white bread are also excellent for soaking up the flavorful juices. The leftovers taste just as good the next day—shred the chicken over rice or tuck it into a soft roll with a generous spoonful of the remaining sauce.
Oven-Baked Three-Ingredient Church Dinner Chicken
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 1.7 kg (3½ to 3¾ pounds) bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, preferably thighs and drumsticks
- 1 bottle (approximately 450 g or 16 ounces) thick, tomato-based barbecue sauce
- 1 can (approximately 330 ml or 11 ounces) regular lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7UP—not diet
