Birdie's Really Great Chicken

My sister gave me this recipe for Birdie's Really Great Chicken about thirty-five years ago and it has been a staple ever since. It is one of those guilty pleasure recipes that are ridiculously simple and begin life with a can of Campbell's soup.

Here's the recipe - it's easy, tastes great (for some reason, it has always been especially attractive to the men in my life), and gives you an hour while it's cooking to catch up on your favorite food blogs.

1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into serving pieces

1 can Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup

1 Leek (white and light green parts only, or a large onion) coarsely chopped

1 small can (3-4oz) sliced mushrooms, plus the liquid from the can (I substitute fresh mushrooms, about 7-9 little ones or 5-6 big ones and add a little more water).

1/4 soup can water

2 Tbs lemon juice

6-8 oz grated cheddar cheese

Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer in a roasting pan. Mix all the other ingredients together and spoon over the chicken. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 1 hour until richly browned, basting once during the baking. While the chicken cooks, prepare a long, involved story about how hard you worked to serve this gourmet dish to your loved ones.

Cheers!