My mother-in-law made this for every church potluck since 1982 and women still beg her for the recipe. Only 4 ingredients and it feeds a crowd!

This is the kind of church-potluck casserole that built small-town reputations. My mother-in-law started bringing this poppy seed chicken to every fellowship supper back in 1982, and to this day the ladies at church still corner her in the hallway asking for the recipe. They never believe her when she says it’s only four ingredients. It’s creamy, comforting, and stretches to feed a crowd without keeping you tied to the stove. Everything bakes together in one dish, with tender shredded chicken tucked under a golden, buttery Ritz cracker and poppy seed topping that crackles just a little when you scoop it out.

Serve this casserole piping hot with a big green salad or a simple bowl of lettuce with ranch dressing, just like we did in the church basement. It’s wonderful spooned over white rice or egg noodles if you want to make it go even farther. Add a side of buttered peas, corn, or green beans, and a pan of dinner rolls or store-bought crescent rolls to round out the meal. For potlucks, I like to set it on a trivet with a big serving spoon and keep a bowl of extra crushed crackers on the side for anyone who loves a little extra crunch.

Servings: 8-10

4 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 rotisserie chicken or 1 1/2–2 pounds cooked chicken)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a bit of butter or nonstick spray.

Spread the cooked shredded chicken evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, breaking up any large clumps so it covers the pan in a fairly even layer.

In a medium bowl, stir the condensed cream of chicken soup until smooth. (Do not dilute with water or milk.) Pour the soup over the chicken and use a spatula to spread it so all the chicken is coated in a creamy layer.

In a separate bowl, crush the Ritz crackers by hand into small, rough pieces. You want some texture—don’t turn them into fine crumbs.

Pour the melted butter over the crushed crackers and toss with a fork until all the pieces are lightly coated and look glossy.

Sprinkle the buttery cracker mixture evenly over the top of the creamy chicken layer, covering the surface from corner to corner.

Sprinkle the poppy seeds evenly over the cracker topping so they’re scattered across the top. They’ll bake into the crackers and give that familiar speckled look.

Place the casserole on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the cracker topping is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving. This helps it set up a bit so it scoops more neatly for a crowd.

Serve warm, scooping down through the buttery cracker crust to get plenty of creamy chicken in every serving. Keep it on the warm setting if your oven has one, or cover loosely with foil if you’re transporting it to a potluck.

If you like a little more sauce, you can add a third can of cream of chicken soup for extra creaminess, especially if your chicken is on the dry side. For a slightly richer flavor, use one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of mushroom soup. To stretch the dish for a very large crowd, stir 2–3 cups of cooked white rice or cooked egg noodles into the chicken and soup mixture before topping with crackers. You can also swap half the shredded chicken for leftover turkey after the holidays. For a bit of color, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of paprika over the top with the poppy seeds, or stir in a handful of frozen peas to the chicken layer (no need to thaw). If you need to make it ahead, assemble the chicken and soup layer in the dish, cover, and refrigerate up to a day; wait to add the cracker and butter topping until just before baking so it stays crisp. Leftovers reheat well in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, until warmed through—add a small splash of milk or broth if it seems too thick.