Amish chicken is an old-fashioned farmhouse bake: bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces dredged in flour seasoned with paprika, garlic and onion powder, set in a casserole dish, surrounded with heavy cream and water, and baked low and slow. As it bakes, the flour coating and cream turn into a rich, peppery gravy around tender, golden chicken. It takes 10 minutes to prep and serves 6.
How to make it: Mix the flour with the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper, coat each chicken piece and arrange them in a greased dish. Pour the cream and water around (not over) the chicken and bake at 350°F for about 90 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the thickest piece reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes and spoon the gravy over.
Why You’ll Love It
- Makes its own gravy: the floured chicken thickens the cream as it bakes.
- Pantry ingredients: chicken, cream, flour and three spices.
- 10 minutes of prep: dredge, pour and bake.
- Juicy chicken: skin-on, bone-in pieces stay moist through the long bake.
What Is Amish Chicken?
The name means two things. In grocery stores, “Amish chicken” usually refers to chickens raised on Amish and Mennonite farms. In the kitchen, it’s this classic baked dish, a simple Pennsylvania Dutch-style recipe that bakes seasoned, floured chicken in cream until it forms a thick gravy. Its appeal is the same as most Amish cooking: few ingredients, plain seasoning and a hearty, comforting result.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken pieces: 7 to 8 bone-in, skin-on pieces. Thighs and drumsticks stay juiciest; breasts work too.
Seasoned flour: 1 cup flour with 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons each of garlic powder and paprika, plus salt and pepper. The paprika gives the chicken its golden color.
Cream and water: 1 1/2 cups each of heavy whipping cream and water. They bake into the gravy.
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Ingredients
- 7-8 chicken pieces, skin on
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Amish Chicken
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a casserole dish.
2. Season the flour. In a bowl, mix the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Coat the chicken. Coat each chicken piece with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Place the chicken in the prepared casserole dish.
4. Add the cream. In a separate bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream and water. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the casserole dish.
5. Bake. Bake for about 90 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the thickest chicken piece reaches 165°F (74°C).
6. Rest and serve. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then serve hot with the creamy sauce spooned over the top.
Which Chicken Pieces Work Best?
Dark meat is the most forgiving. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks have more fat and connective tissue, so they stay moist and tender through the long bake and add flavor to the gravy. A mix of pieces from a cut-up whole chicken is traditional. If you use breasts, choose bone-in, skin-on ones and check them a little earlier, since white meat dries out faster once it passes 165°F. Keep the pieces about the same size so they finish together.
Why Bake It Low and Slow?
A moderate 350°F oven gives the flour coating time to thicken the cream gradually, so the gravy turns smooth instead of lumpy or broken. It also renders the fat under the skin, which crisps the exposed tops while the bottoms braise. A hotter oven would brown the outside before the gravy has time to come together.
The Secret to Juicy Amish Chicken
- Use bone-in, skin-on pieces. The bone and skin protect the meat during the long bake.
- Pour the cream around, not over. The tops stay exposed so the skin turns golden while the bottoms braise.
- Shake off extra flour. A light coat thickens the gravy without making it pasty.
- Leave space between pieces. Crowded chicken steams and won’t brown.
- Check the temperature. The thickest piece should read 165°F.
- Stir the gravy before serving. Whisk the sauce in the dish to smooth it out.
Variations
- Thighs only: for the juiciest result.
- Chicken broth: use broth instead of water for a more savory gravy.
- Herbs: add dried thyme or sage to the seasoned flour.
- Smoked paprika: for a smoky flavor.
- Mushrooms: scatter sliced mushrooms around the chicken before adding the cream.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven, adding a splash of milk or broth to loosen the gravy, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
The cream gravy begs for mashed potatoes, egg noodles, rice or biscuits. Add green beans, peas or a simple salad.
More Amish-style chicken dinners: slow cooker Amish broccoli chicken noodles, slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish chicken pot pie and slow cooker Amish bacon chicken pasta. More creamy chicken: oven-baked 3-ingredient creamy chicken, creamy garlic chicken and creamy chicken rice casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about Amish chicken?
It makes its own creamy gravy: floured chicken bakes in cream until the sauce thickens.
What’s the secret to juicy Amish chicken?
Bone-in, skin-on pieces, cream poured around the chicken and baking to 165°F.
Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, but it cooks faster. Start checking the temperature early.
Can I use milk instead of cream?
Cream gives the thickest, richest gravy. Milk makes a thinner sauce that can separate.
Should I cover the dish?
No. Baking uncovered lets the chicken brown on top.
What do you serve with Amish chicken?
Mashed potatoes, egg noodles or rice to soak up the gravy, plus a green vegetable.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Coat the chicken lightly, pour the cream around it and bake low and slow. If you try it with thighs only or add mushrooms, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Creamy Baked Amish Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 7-8 chicken pieces with skin on
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a casserole dish.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Coat each chicken piece with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Place the chicken in the prepared casserole dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream and water. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the casserole dish.
- Bake for about 90 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the thickest chicken piece reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then serve hot with the creamy sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
