My grandmother passed down this 4-ingredient secret and it disappears instantly.

You can easily tailor this simple 4-ingredient base to suit your family and what you have on hand, while still keeping the spirit of my grandmother’s recipe. For a slightly lighter version, use one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup; it adds a different depth of flavor. If you prefer dark meat, boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay very moist and shred beautifully.

For extra creaminess, stir in 2–4 tablespoons of sour cream or a splash of half-and-half right before adding the noodles, but do this at the end so the dairy doesn’t curdle. You can also change the stuffing mix: use cornbread stuffing for a sweeter, more Southern-style flavor, or a herb stuffing for a stronger sage and thyme note. If you need to stretch the dish for an even bigger crowd, cook and add up to 16 ounces of egg noodles and loosen the mixture with a bit of hot water or chicken broth until it’s creamy again.

To add vegetables without complicating things, stir in a bag of thawed frozen peas and carrots or mixed vegetables during the last 15–20 minutes of cooking so they warm through without getting mushy. For food safety, always start with completely thawed chicken (never frozen) when using a slow cooker, and make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) before shredding.

Keep the slow cooker covered as much as possible so it maintains a safe temperature, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through before serving. If the mixture thickens in the fridge, a splash of water or broth while reheating will bring it back to a creamy, comforting texture.