Throw raw chicken tenderloins in the slow cooker and 3 other ingredients to get a meal so delicious your husband will be begging for more.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken is my streamlined, weeknight version of the kind of creamy, comforting chicken dishes that showed up on so many Midwestern tables in the 1980s. You literally throw raw chicken tenderloins into the slow cooker, add three pantry-friendly ingredients, and walk away. By dinnertime, you’ll have ultra-tender, saucy chicken that tastes like it took all afternoon in the oven, but with almost no effort—exactly the kind of meal that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.

Serve this creamy slow cooker chicken spooned over hot buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or steamed rice to catch every bit of the sauce. A simple green vegetable—like steamed broccoli, green beans, or a crisp side salad with a tangy vinaigrette—helps balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are great for mopping up the extra sauce, and if you’d like a retro-leaning finish, a light fruit salad or citrusy dessert keeps the meal feeling classic but not heavy.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds raw chicken tenderloins

Place the raw chicken tenderloins in an even layer on the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. This should look like a single layer of tenderloins covering the base of the crock.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup, dry ranch dressing mix, and chicken broth until mostly smooth and evenly combined.

Pour the soup and ranch mixture evenly over the chicken tenderloins, making sure all of the chicken is coated. Use a spoon to nudge the sauce into any gaps so the chicken is mostly submerged.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken tenderloins are very tender and reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Cooking times can vary slightly depending on your slow cooker.

Once cooked, use two forks to gently shred the chicken tenderloins right in the slow cooker, or leave them whole if you prefer larger pieces. Stir the chicken through the sauce so everything is well coated and creamy.

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if desired, adding a pinch of black pepper or a splash of extra broth if you prefer a looser consistency. Serve the saucy chicken hot over noodles, rice, or potatoes.

For a richer, more indulgent sauce, you can stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of softened cream cheese or sour cream during the last 15 minutes of cooking, letting it melt into the sauce. If you’d like a slightly lighter version, use a reduced-fat condensed soup and increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup for a thinner, more gravy-like consistency. To add vegetables without changing the core 4-ingredient base, you can serve the finished chicken over steamed peas, mixed vegetables, or sautéed mushrooms rather than cooking them in the slow cooker. If you want a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few dashes of hot sauce to the soup mixture before pouring it over the chicken. For food safety, always start with fully thawed chicken tenderloins; do not put frozen chicken directly into the slow cooker, as it can stay too long in the temperature “danger zone.” Use a food thermometer to confirm the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest pieces before serving. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming hot.