This was the fancy dish my mother made when the pastor came for Sunday dinner. Only 3 ingredients but tastes like a million dollars.

This oven baked 3-ingredient chicken royale is the kind of company dish Midwestern church ladies used to tuck away for special Sundays. My mother only brought it out when the pastor came for dinner or when someone important was stopping by after church. It feels wonderfully old-fashioned and a little bit fancy, with tender chicken nestled in a velvety cream sauce that bubbles and browns around the edges. No one ever guessed it was made with just three simple ingredients you could find in any small-town grocery store, and that’s exactly why it’s stayed in my recipe box all these years.

Serve this rich, creamy chicken with fluffy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles so every bit of that sauce has somewhere to go. A simple green vegetable—like steamed green beans, peas, or a crisp lettuce salad—keeps the plate from feeling too heavy. Warm dinner rolls or a pan of baking-powder biscuits fit right in with the Sunday-dinner feel and are perfect for mopping up the last of the sauce. For dessert, something light and homey, like fresh fruit or a simple gelatin salad, balances the richness of the meal.

Servings: 4

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a medium oval or rectangular baking dish so the chicken won’t stick.

Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking dish, nestling them close together but not overlapping too much. If some pieces are very thick, slice them in half horizontally so they cook evenly and stay tender.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup and the heavy cream until smooth and velvety. Take a moment to whisk out any lumps so the finished sauce bakes up silky.

Pour the cream mixture evenly over the chicken, making sure every piece is well coated and the sauce runs down between them. Gently lift a few pieces with a spoon so the sauce can slip underneath for a creamy interior.

Place the baking dish, uncovered, on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. The sauce should be bubbling around the edges and starting to turn a light golden brown on top.

About halfway through baking, spoon some of the hot sauce from the dish back over the tops of the chicken pieces. This keeps them moist and encourages those pretty, slightly crispy golden edges where the sauce meets the pan.

Check for doneness by cutting into the thickest piece of chicken; the meat should be white all the way through with clear juices, and an instant-read thermometer should read at least 165°F (74°C). If needed, return the dish to the oven for a few more minutes.

Once done, let the chicken rest in the hot sauce for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the sauce thicken slightly and settle into a rich, spoonable blanket around the chicken.

To serve, use a large silver serving spoon or similar spoon to lift out generous portions of chicken, making sure to scoop plenty of the creamy sauce from the bottom of the dish over each serving.

If you prefer dark meat, boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay especially tender and are very forgiving if slightly overbaked. For a milder sauce, substitute half-and-half for part of the heavy cream, keeping in mind the sauce will be a bit thinner and may not brown as deeply. You can also use condensed cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in place of cream of chicken for a different but still comforting flavor. For a slightly less rich version, use one can of soup and thin it with an extra 1/2 cup of milk, though the dish will lose a bit of its royale-style lushness. If you want a more pronounced golden top without extra ingredients, simply bake the dish on the upper rack for the last 10 minutes and do not cover it. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, cold chicken and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to bake. Avoid rinsing raw chicken in the sink, as that can spread bacteria around your kitchen; instead, pat it dry with paper towels if needed and discard the towels right away. Wash your hands, cutting board, and any utensils that have touched raw chicken with hot, soapy water before using them for anything else. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. If you have leftovers, cool them promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat gently until hot all the way through before serving again.