When it comes to timeless comfort food, nothing beats a dish straight from mom’s kitchen. This Butter Baked Chicken is a nostalgic, homestyle favorite that wraps you in warmth with every bite. With its golden, buttery crust and creamy gravy-like sauce, this dish transforms simple ingredients into a baked masterpiece.
Perfect for Sunday dinner or cozy weeknights, this recipe uses pantry staples—chicken, evaporated milk, flour, and soup—to create a richly satisfying meal that tastes like home. It’s a recipe handed down through generations and loved by picky eaters and foodies alike.
🥘 Why You’ll Love Mom’s Butter Baked Chicken
✅ Simple ingredients you likely have on hand
✅ Rich, creamy, and savory flavor
✅ Hands-off baking makes it weeknight-friendly
✅ Tender chicken with a buttery crust
✅ Perfect for serving with mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits
Whether you’re new to cooking or a seasoned home chef, this recipe is forgiving, flavorful, and completely foolproof.
🧾 Ingredients – Simple and Soul-Warming
You won’t need to run to a specialty store. This dish uses just a few basic pantry and fridge items:
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless works best)
- 1 can evaporated milk (any size; you’ll use some for dipping and the rest in the sauce)
- 1 cup flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- ¼ cup water
📝 Tip: You can use thighs or bone-in chicken if you prefer a richer, juicier result—just adjust the cook time slightly.
👩🍳 Directions – Classic Family Dinner Made Easy
This casserole-style baked chicken recipe is perfect for layering flavor without overcomplicating your evening. Here’s how to make it:
🔥 Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Set out a 13×9-inch baking dish and gather your ingredients.
🐔 Step 2: Coat the Chicken
Pour a little of the evaporated milk into a small bowl—just enough to dip your chicken pieces.
In another bowl, mix together:
- 1 cup flour
- 1½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
Dip each chicken breast into the milk, then dredge it in the flour mixture until fully coated.
🧈 Step 3: Bake in Butter
Place the ¼ cup of butter in your 13×9 baking pan and melt it in the oven. Once melted, lay your coated chicken breasts into the buttered pan.
Bake for 30 minutes at 425°F.
🥣 Step 4: Make the Creamy Sauce
While the chicken bakes, whisk together:
- What’s left of your evaporated milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
🔁 Step 5: Flip and Pour
After the first 30 minutes, flip the chicken pieces over in the pan.
Pour the soup mixture over the top of the chicken.
Return to the oven and bake another 30 minutes, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
⏱️ Step 6: Rest and Serve
Let the dish sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken and flavors to settle.
🕒 Recipe Summary
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Bake Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American Homestyle
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
This dish is rich and satisfying, making it the perfect centerpiece for a cozy meal. Here’s what pairs beautifully:
- Mashed potatoes (a must-have for spooning over that creamy sauce)
- Buttered corn or green beans for color and freshness
- Buttermilk biscuits or warm rolls
- Steamed rice or egg noodles
🧊 Storage and Reheating Tips
This chicken casserole reheats well, making it ideal for leftovers or meal prep.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freezer: Freeze leftovers in single portions for up to 2 months
- Reheat: Microwave or warm in a 350°F oven until heated through
📝 Bonus Tip: Add a splash of milk when reheating to restore creaminess.
🧂 Variations & Add-Ons
You can customize this recipe to suit your taste or what you have in the kitchen:
- Add garlic powder, paprika, or poultry seasoning to the flour mix
- Substitute cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup for a new flavor
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for deeper flavor
- Add a layer of sliced mushrooms or onions under the chicken for extra richness
💬 What Fans Are Saying
“This recipe tastes just like my mom used to make—absolutely comforting and so easy.”
— Sandra J.
“A new weeknight staple. My husband and kids licked their plates!”
— Erica L.
“It’s creamy, crispy, buttery, and everything I love in comfort food.”
— Brian T.
📌 Final Thoughts – The Ultimate Nostalgic Dinner
Mom’s Butter Baked Chicken is the kind of recipe that feels like a warm hug. It’s a reminder that great food doesn’t have to be fancy or fussy—just made with love, a little butter, and classic ingredients that never go out of style.
It’s perfect for family dinners, holidays, or anytime you want a dish that brings comfort to the table. Once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s a treasured recipe in so many homes.
Print
🧈 Mom’s Butter Baked Chicken – A Tender, Creamy Comfort Classic
You won’t need to run to a specialty store. This dish uses just a few basic pantry and fridge items:
Ingredients
-
4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless works best)
-
1 can evaporated milk (any size; you’ll use some for dipping and the rest in the sauce)
-
1 cup flour
-
1½ teaspoons salt
-
⅛ teaspoon pepper
-
¼ cup butter
-
1 can cream of chicken soup
-
¼ cup water
📝 Tip: You can use thighs or bone-in chicken if you prefer a richer, juicier result—just adjust the cook time slightly.
Instructions
🔥 Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Set out a 13×9-inch baking dish and gather your ingredients.
🐔 Step 2: Coat the Chicken
Pour a little of the evaporated milk into a small bowl—just enough to dip your chicken pieces.
In another bowl, mix together:
-
1 cup flour
-
1½ tsp salt
-
⅛ tsp pepper
Dip each chicken breast into the milk, then dredge it in the flour mixture until fully coated.
🧈 Step 3: Bake in Butter
Place the ¼ cup of butter in your 13×9 baking pan and melt it in the oven. Once melted, lay your coated chicken breasts into the buttered pan.
Bake for 30 minutes at 425°F.
🥣 Step 4: Make the Creamy Sauce
While the chicken bakes, whisk together:
-
What’s left of your evaporated milk
-
¼ cup water
-
1 can cream of chicken soup
🔁 Step 5: Flip and Pour
After the first 30 minutes, flip the chicken pieces over in the pan.
Pour the soup mixture over the top of the chicken.
Return to the oven and bake another 30 minutes, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
⏱️ Step 6: Rest and Serve
Let the dish sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken and flavors to settle.
Notes
🕒 Recipe Summary
-
Prep Time: 10 minutes
-
Bake Time: 60 minutes
-
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
-
Servings: 4
-
Difficulty: Easy
-
Cuisine: American Homestyle