A first-prize entry in the Eagle River Cranberry Fest bake-off is a dinner winner from Eagle River's Catherine Snedden. It's easy, colorful and pleasantly tart.
1 16-ounce can whole cranberry sauce
1 8-ounce bottle reduced-calorie Russian salad dressing wit hhoney (about 1 cup) or regular Russian salad dressing
1 envelope regular onion-soup mix
1 2 1/2- to 3-pound broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
Hot cooked rice (optional)
Fresh rosemary (optional)
1. In a bowl, combine cranberry sauce, salad dressing and soup mix. Rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Remove and discard skin, if desired. Arrange pieces in one layer in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Pour cranberry mixture over chicken pieces. Cover and chill the chicken mixture in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
2. Bake the chicken mixture, uncovered, in a 300° oven about 1 1/2 hours or till the chicken is done, stirring glaze and spooning over chicken once or twice. Serve the chicken and glaze on a platter with hot, coooked rice, if desired. Garnish the chicken with fresh rosemary, if desired. Makes 4 servings.