Amish Baked Chicken

Imagine a baked chicken dish that’s both incredibly juicy and packed with flavor in every bite—that’s this Amish Baked Chicken. With a simple, creamy sauce and a crispy, buttery topping, this recipe turns humble chicken pieces into a company-worthy meal that’s surprisingly easy to prepare. It’s the kind of comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This dish takes me back to the potluck suppers of my childhood, where the most memorable dishes were always the simple, homey ones. A neighbor would bring her “special” baked chicken, and the creamy sauce and golden topping made it the star of the table. She once mentioned the secret was a touch of sour cream in the sauce. That trick, combined with the irresistible crunch, is what makes this version so special and beloved.

Ingredients

Here is what you’ll need to make this baked chicken:

For the Chicken and Sauce:

• 3-4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts)
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup (or homemade equivalent)
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

For the Buttery Crumb Topping:

• 1 ½ cups crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz, about 35 crackers)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Step-by-step instructions for making the recipe

Follow these simple steps for a perfect result every time:

1. Prep and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
2. Brown the Chicken (Optional but Recommended): In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13-inch baking dish, arranging it in a single layer.
3. Make the Creamy Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, dried thyme, garlic powder, and paprika until smooth.
4. Assemble: Pour the creamy sauce evenly over the chicken pieces in the baking dish, making sure some sauce gets underneath as well.
5. Make the Topping and Bake: In a small bowl, mix the crushed crackers with the melted butter until all crumbs are moistened. Sprinkle the buttered crumbs evenly over the chicken and sauce.
6. Bake: Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C) and the topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly around the edges.
7. Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve hot.

Amish Baked Chicken

Tender, juicy baked chicken smothered in a creamy herb sauce and topped with a buttery, crispy cracker crust. A simple, comforting family dinner.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Chicken and Sauce

• 3-4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup or homemade equivalent
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Buttery Crumb Topping

• 1 ½ cups crushed buttery crackers like Ritz (about 35 crackers)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional

Equipment

• 9×13 inch Baking Dish
• Large Skillet (optional for browning)

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
   3-4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
2. In a skillet, heat oil. Brown chicken skin-side down for 4-5 min, flip, cook 2-3 min. Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
   1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3. In a bowl, whisk soup, sour cream, milk, thyme, garlic powder, and paprika. Pour over chicken.
   1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika
4. Mix crushed crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the chicken and sauce.
   1 ½ cups crushed buttery crackers, ¼ cup unsalted butter
5. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and topping is golden.
6. Rest for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve.
   1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Notes

The Browning Advantage: Taking a few extra minutes to brown the chicken adds an immense depth of flavor that permeates the entire dish. The fond (browned bits) left in the skillet can also be deglazed with a splash of the milk and added to the sauce for even more flavor.

Creamy Sauce from Scratch: To make a quick homemade “cream of chicken” substitute, melt 3 tbsp butter, whisk in 3 tbsp flour, cook 1 min, then gradually whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth and ½ cup of milk or cream. Cook until thickened, then season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme.

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