My church ladies begged me for this recipe at the spring brunch.

For a touch of sweetness and crunch, you can fold in a small handful of halved red grapes or finely chopped apple to the chicken salad, though this will take you beyond the strict four-ingredient count. If you like a bit of nuttiness, a sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans on top right before serving works well. To lean into classic Southern flavors, you can add a tiny pinch of onion powder or a spoonful of sweet pickle relish to the filling. For a lighter version, substitute part of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt, keeping in mind that this will add a gentle tang. If you don’t have phyllo shells, you can bake store-bought refrigerated pie crust in mini muffin tins and use those as the pastry base. Food safety tips: Always start with fully cooked chicken; if using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, remove the meat from the bone promptly and refrigerate until ready to use. Keep the chicken salad mixture refrigerated and do not leave the filled pastry cups at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the room is quite warm). If you’re preparing them ahead, store the filling and shells separately in the refrigerator and assemble within a few hours of serving so the pastry stays crisp.