Name: Creamy Slow-Cooker Tarragon Chicken
Total time: 225 min
Ingredients: 6 (6-oz.) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs; .5 teaspoon black pepper; 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 8 ounces small carrots with tops, cut in half lengthwise; 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (2 cups chopped); 4 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 ½ Tbsp.); 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon); .25 teaspoon cayenne pepper; .25 cup heavy whipping cream, warmed (about 80°F); .25 cup cornstarch; 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed; 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish; Hot cooked rice or egg noodles

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tarragon Chicken — Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Active Time:

15 mins

Slow Cook Time:

3 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 45 mins

Servings:

Winner winner, chicken dinner. Any chicken dish that comes together in the slow cooker is already a winner in our books; this Creamy Slow-Cooker Tarragon Chicken also happens to be incredibly delicious. This recipe is a simple starting point for a weeknight dinner—just prepare some rice or egg noodles to serve alongside this chicken-and-vegetable meal and you've got dinner squared away.

A quick sear in a nonstick skillet helps the chicken thighs gain a little color before heading into the slow-cooker; they're fall-off-the-bone tender by the end of cooking. The moist, tender chicken is complemented with onion, garlic, fresh tarragon, and bright sweet peas; they cook on top of the carrots, which soak up all that schmaltz to get an infusion of rich flavor. Despite a long cook time, the carrots remain al dente and not at all mushy. The tarragon-laced cream sauce really takes this dish to another level, tying together all the individual components to make one cohesive meal. Adding the cream mixture, which is thickened with cornstarch, later on in the cooking process helps to prevent the sauce from breaking.

Pair this simple chicken supper with the starch of your choice—egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, you name it. It's as easy as that.

Ingredients

6 (6-oz.) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces small carrots with tops, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (2 cups chopped)
4 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 ½ Tbsp.)
2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup heavy whipping cream, warmed (about 80°F)
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
Hot cooked rice or egg noodles

Directions

Season chicken evenly with black pepper and ¾ teaspoon of the salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, and add chicken. Cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side; remove from heat.
Stir together carrots, onion, garlic, chicken broth, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a 6-quart slow cooker. Place chicken on top in an even layer. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours. Remove chicken and carrots; set aside.
Whisk together warmed cream and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Add cream mixture to slow cooker, stirring until combined. Place chicken and carrots in even layer on top of vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH until chicken is very tender and sauce is thickened, 30 to 45 minutes more, stirring in peas and tarragon during last 15 minutes of cooking. Serve over rice or egg noodles. Garnish with tarragon.