My neighbor brought this over when I was feeling under the weather, and it was undeniably fork tender. I couldn't believe it only takes 3 ingredients!

This oven baked 3-ingredient Italian chicken bake is the kind of comfort food a good neighbor brings when you’re feeling crummy and can’t even think about cooking. The first time I had it, I was curled up on the couch with a box of tissues, and my neighbor showed up with a warm glass baking dish of this chicken, bubbling around the edges and so fork tender it practically fell apart. I couldn’t believe her when she said it was only three ingredients. It’s a busy-weeknight lifesaver: dump, bake, and let the oven do the work while your house starts to smell like an Italian restaurant.

Serve this Italian chicken over a bed of fluffy white rice or buttered egg noodles so they can soak up all those savory, herby juices. A simple green side salad with Italian dressing or some roasted broccoli rounds out the plate without adding extra work. If you have a few extra minutes, warm up some crusty bread or garlic toast to swipe through the bottom of the baking dish—those browned, bubbling juices are liquid gold. Leftovers are great tucked into a soft roll with a slice of provolone for an easy next-day sandwich.

Servings: 4

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the chicken doesn’t stick.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and trim any excess fat. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer in the prepared glass baking dish, making sure they’re not stacked on top of each other.

Pour the Italian salad dressing evenly over the chicken, turning the pieces once or twice with tongs or a fork to coat both sides. Arrange the chicken smooth side up when you’re done so it looks neat in the pan.

Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the dressed chicken. Try to cover as much of the surface as possible so the cheese can melt, brown, and help form a flavorful crust around the edges.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. This helps the chicken stay extra moist and start to turn fork tender.

Carefully remove the foil (watch out for the steam), then return the uncovered dish to the oven and continue baking for another 15 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the edges are browned and the juices are bubbling around the chicken.

Once done, let the chicken rest in the hot baking dish for about 5 to 10 minutes. This short rest helps keep it juicy and makes it even easier to pull apart with a fork.

To serve, spoon some of the browned, bubbling juices from the bottom of the glass dish over the chicken. Use a fork to gently shred or cut the chicken if you want that super tender, fall-apart texture, and serve over rice, pasta, or alongside your favorite simple sides.

For a slightly lighter version, use a light or reduced-fat Italian dressing, but keep in mind that full-fat dressing will give you richer flavor and more browning. If you prefer dark meat, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work beautifully and tend to stay tender even if you accidentally leave them in the oven a few extra minutes. For extra flavor without adding more ingredients, choose a zesty or roasted garlic Italian dressing. You can also prep this as a make-ahead meal: in the morning, place the chicken and Italian dressing in a zip-top bag and refrigerate, then at dinnertime pour everything into the glass baking dish, top with Parmesan, and bake as directed. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave with a splash of water or extra dressing to keep them moist, and they’re great for meal prep—use the tender chicken over salads, in wraps, or piled on rolls for easy sandwiches.