Baked Chicken Legs with Cream of Mushroom

SAVE THIS!

Introduction

This dish is the perfect weeknight dinner—hearty, budget-friendly, and full of flavor. The chicken legs bake up juicy while the cream of mushroom soup creates a rich, velvety sauce that pairs beautifully with rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. It’s an old-fashioned recipe that never goes out of style!

Ingredients

• 6–8 chicken legs (drumsticks or thighs work too)
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• ½ cup milk (or chicken broth for more savory flavor)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or Italian seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• Salt & black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven
   Preheat to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Prepare Chicken
   Pat chicken legs dry. Season generously with salt, pepper, and paprika.
3. Sear (Optional but Recommended)
   Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken legs for 3–4 minutes per side. This adds flavor but you can skip if short on time.
4. Assemble Casserole
   In the baking dish, whisk together cream of mushroom soup and milk (or broth) until smooth. Stir in garlic and thyme.
   Add sliced onions, then nestle the chicken legs into the sauce. Spoon some sauce over the chicken.
5. Bake
   Cover with foil and bake for 35–40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 175°F / 80°C for dark meat). Sauce should be bubbling and slightly thickened.
6. Serve
   Spoon creamy mushroom sauce over the chicken. Serve hot with rice, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet or oven at 350°F until heated through. Add a splash of broth or milk if the sauce thickens too much.
• Freezer: Freeze chicken and sauce together for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.