This was the only dish my mother-in-law trusted me to bring to Christmas dinner. Twenty-three years later and I still make it the same way.

This oven baked 3-ingredient chicken dynasty is the one dish my mother-in-law trusted me with for Christmas dinner all those years ago. I was a young bride, nervous in her kitchen, and she handed me a glass baking dish, a packet of onion soup mix, and a can of cream of mushroom soup. “You can’t mess this up,” she said, and she was right. The chicken comes out tender and glistening in a rich mushroom cream sauce, with edges that go just a little crisp and golden. I’ve brought this same pan to holiday tables, church potlucks, and neighbor suppers for twenty-three years now, and I still make it exactly the same way. It’s simple, comforting Midwestern cooking at its best: pantry ingredients, no fuss, and a dish that always gets scraped clean.

I like to serve this chicken with fluffy mashed potatoes so every spoonful can catch that mushroom cream sauce, or over buttered egg noodles if I’m feeding a crowd. Steamed green beans, peas, or a simple tossed salad help balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls or slices of soft white bread are perfect for mopping up the sauce left in the baking dish. For holidays, I tuck this casserole alongside the ham and the usual casseroles, and it holds its own on the table just fine.

Servings: 6

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 to 6 medium pieces)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Set out a 9x13-inch glass or Pyrex baking dish.

Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts and pat them dry with paper towels. This helps them brown a bit around the edges and keeps the sauce from getting too watery.

Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer in the baking dish. It’s fine if they’re snug, but don’t stack them.

In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the dry onion soup mix until well combined. The mixture will be thick and speckled with onion pieces.

Pour the soup mixture evenly over the chicken, using a spatula to spread it so every piece is well coated. Make sure some of the sauce runs down between the pieces so it can bubble up around them as it bakes.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Place the dish on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, carefully remove the foil (watch for steam). Return the uncovered dish to the oven and continue baking for another 25 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the edges of the sauce and chicken are bubbling and turning golden brown. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C).

Once done, let the dish rest on the counter for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the sauce to settle and thicken slightly.

To serve, slide a spatula under each chicken breast, lifting it up so the golden top shows and the creamy mushroom sauce underneath spills over onto the plate or serving platter.

If you prefer darker meat, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs and bake them the same way; they’ll be even more forgiving and stay very tender. For a slightly richer sauce, stir 1/4 cup of sour cream into the soup mixture after baking, once the dish has cooled a few minutes, then gently spoon it over the chicken. You can also add sliced fresh mushrooms or a handful of frozen peas around the chicken before pouring on the sauce for a little extra texture and color, though that will take it beyond the true three-ingredient spirit. If you like a bit more browning on top, move the dish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes at the very end, watching closely so the sauce doesn’t scorch. For sodium-conscious cooks, look for low-sodium cream of mushroom soup and reduced-sodium onion soup mix, and avoid adding extra salt until you’ve tasted the finished dish. Always handle raw chicken with care: use a separate cutting board and knife, wash your hands and any surfaces that touched the raw meat with hot, soapy water, and never reuse utensils from raw chicken on the cooked dish. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers. Leftovers reheat well in a low oven, covered, or gently in the microwave with a splash of milk stirred into the sauce if it has thickened too much.