My mother-in-law served this at her first dinner party in 1959 and it’s still the recipe her friends talk about today.

This Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Chicken Madison is adapted from the kind of dish a Midwestern hostess would have proudly served at a first dinner party in 1959—simple, elegant, and almost impossibly comforting. It leans on the era’s love of creamy casseroles and oven-baked chicken, but holds up beautifully today: tender chicken nestled in a velvety, paprika-kissed cream sauce under a bubbling blanket of golden cheese. With only four ingredients and a single baking dish, it’s exactly the sort of recipe friends remember and request decades later.

Serve Chicken Madison straight from the baking dish with a big serving spoon, letting that creamy sauce spill over your sides. It’s wonderful over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or plain white rice to soak up every bit of the sauce.
A simple green vegetable—steamed green beans, peas, or a crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette—adds freshness and balances the richness. For a more vintage feel, pair it with buttered dinner rolls and a light fruit salad; for something more modern, try roasted asparagus and a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or an unoaked Chardonnay.
Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Chicken Madison
Servings: 4

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika (plus a pinch more for sprinkling)
1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheese (such as Monterey Jack, Colby, or mild cheddar)

Directions