My aunt brought this to every summer church social from 1968 until she passed. Three ingredients and it disappeared before anything else on the table.

This oven baked 3-ingredient chicken Lorraine is the kind of dish that shows up at every church social and vanishes before you can blink. My aunt really did bring a pan of this to every summer gathering from the late ’60s on, and folks would hover nearby waiting for it to hit the table. It’s pure Midwestern comfort: tender baked chicken in a creamy, bacon-flecked sauce under a blanket of melty Swiss cheese. With only three ingredients and a simple baking dish, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or anytime you want something cozy without a lot of fuss.

Serve this chicken Lorraine straight from the casserole dish with a big spoon so everyone can scoop up plenty of sauce, bacon bits, and stretchy Swiss. It’s wonderful over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or plain white rice to soak up the creamy sauce. Add a simple green side like steamed green beans, a tossed salad, or roasted broccoli to balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are great for mopping up the last bits from the pan, and a light fruit salad or sliced melon makes a nice, refreshing finish.

Servings: 6

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into large chunks

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 2- to 3-quart oval or rectangular baking dish with a little butter or oil so the chicken doesn’t stick.

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. This helps them bake up nicely and keeps the sauce from getting too watery. Arrange the chicken in an even layer in the prepared baking dish, tucking pieces close together but not piled too high.

Spoon the cream of mushroom soup over the chicken. Use the back of the spoon to spread it out so most of the chicken is coated. It doesn’t have to be perfect—any bare spots will get covered once it bakes.

Lay the sliced Swiss cheese evenly over the top of the sauced chicken, overlapping the slices slightly so the whole surface is covered. This will melt into a golden, stretchy layer as it bakes.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Bake covered for 25 minutes to let the chicken cook through and the sauce loosen.

Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), then return the uncovered dish to the oven. Bake another 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden in spots, the sauce is bubbling around the edges, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

If you’d like a deeper golden top, switch the oven to broil for 1–3 minutes at the end, watching closely so the cheese doesn’t burn. The top should be bubbly and lightly browned.

Let the chicken Lorraine rest for 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken slightly and the cheese sets just enough for a nice cheese pull. Spoon the chicken and sauce over rice, noodles, or potatoes, garnish with a little chopped parsley if you like, and serve warm right from the baking dish.

To keep this true to its three-ingredient church social roots, the base recipe uses only chicken, cream of mushroom soup, and Swiss cheese; everything else is optional. If your family loves bacon (like my aunt’s did), you can stir 1/2–3/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon into the soup before spreading it over the chicken or sprinkle it on top under the cheese for that classic bacon-flecked look. For picky eaters who aren’t big on Swiss, try using a milder sliced cheese such as provolone or mozzarella while still keeping it to one cheese. You can also swap cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken or cream of celery if that’s what you have on hand. If you prefer whole chicken breasts instead of chunks, keep them in a single layer and add 5–10 minutes to the covered bake time, checking for doneness with a thermometer. For a slightly lighter version, use reduced-fat soup and part-skim Swiss, and serve with extra veggies on the side. Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed chicken; baking from frozen can lead to uneven cooking. Use a food thermometer to be sure the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Avoid letting the dish sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s very hot out at a picnic or church social). Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow container and reheat until hot and steaming all the way through before serving again.