An old church friend taught me this trick tossing just 4 ingredients together under a closed lid. The thick creamy sauce and tender bites will have your entire family begging for seconds.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient creamy chicken and peas is the kind of recipe you learn from an old church friend at a potluck and never forget. Everything gets tossed under a closed lid and left alone, and a few hours later you’ve got tender shreds of chicken in a thick, cozy cream sauce with sweet pops of peas. It’s the perfect busy-day dinner when you still want something that feels like a warm hug on a plate, and it’s simple enough that even picky eaters usually ask for seconds.

Serve this creamy chicken and peas spooned over hot buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or steamed white rice so all that thick sauce has something to soak into. A simple green salad or steamed carrots on the side adds a little crunch and color. Warm dinner rolls or sliced French bread are great for mopping up the extra sauce, and if you like a bit of brightness, squeeze a little lemon over your own plate or add a sprinkle of fresh parsley right before serving.

Servings: 6

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

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin swipe of oil to help with cleanup.

Lay the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. It’s okay if they overlap a little, but try not to stack them too high so they cook evenly.

Spoon the condensed cream of chicken soup over the chicken, spreading it out a bit so the chicken is mostly covered. Do not add water or milk; you want it thick so it turns into a rich, creamy sauce.

Scatter the cream cheese cubes evenly over the top of the soup layer. They will melt down as everything cooks and help make the sauce extra thick and creamy.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so the heat and moisture stay trapped inside.

Once the chicken is cooked through and tender, remove the lid. Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the slow cooker, pulling it apart into bite-size pieces and mixing it into the creamy sauce as you go.

Add the frozen peas directly to the slow cooker and stir them into the hot creamy chicken mixture until they are evenly distributed. The heat from the sauce will thaw them quickly.

Cover the slow cooker again and let the mixture sit on LOW (or the “warm” setting if your slow cooker has one) for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the peas are bright green and heated through but still slightly firm.

Give everything a final stir. If the sauce seems too thick for your liking, you can thin it with a splash or two of milk or chicken broth, stirring until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and add salt and black pepper if desired.

Spoon the creamy shredded chicken and peas onto plates or over noodles, rice, or potatoes, making sure to get plenty of the thick sauce in each serving. Serve warm, with extra black pepper on top if you like.

For picky eaters, you can keep the peas on the lighter side by starting with 1 cup and serving extra peas on the side for those who enjoy more veggies. If someone at your table truly won’t touch peas, cook them separately in a small saucepan with a bit of butter and salt, and let everyone add their own to the top of their chicken. For a little more flavor without adding ingredients to the slow cooker, sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, or dried parsley over your own plate at the table. If you prefer dark meat, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work beautifully and stay very tender; use the same weight and cook time. To make this a bit lighter, you can swap the regular cream cheese for reduced-fat cream cheese and use a 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup, though the sauce will be slightly less rich. If you like extra vegetables, you can stir in a handful of frozen mixed vegetables with the peas, but keep in mind this technically adds more ingredients beyond the core four. For food safety, always start with fully thawed chicken if your slow cooker runs on the cooler side, and make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before shredding. Avoid leaving the finished dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours; promptly transfer leftovers to shallow containers and refrigerate. Leftovers reheat well on the stove over low heat or in the microwave; if the sauce thickens too much after chilling, stir in a splash of milk or broth while reheating until it loosens to a creamy consistency again.