Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken stock

1 shallot, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 thyme sprigs

1 rosemary sprig

2 tbsp. water

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving 

Preparation

Step 1Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Arrange chicken in pan in an even layer and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to 5-quart slow cooker. Pour stock into pan and scrape up any stuck-on bits, then pour over chicken. Step 2Add shallot, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until chicken is very tender. Discard herb stems. Step 3During the last 20 minutes of cooking, in a small bowl, whisk water and cornstarch and pour into slow cooker. Add cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Gently stir to combine and continue to cook on high or low about 20 minutes, until sauce is slightly thickened and warmed through.Step 4Divide chicken and sauce among plates. Top with parsley.

The trick to getting maximum flavor out of the chicken is giving it a quick sear in butter before it goes into the slow cooker. This step also creates some “stuck-on bits” on the bottom of the pan. The pan then gets deglazed with chicken stock, gathering up all those bits and making the cleanup super-easy. After cooking for hours, the chicken is fall-apart tender while the sauce gets a healthy dose of cream, lemon, and cornstarch to thicken it to a silky texture. You can do all the prep and even sear the chicken in about 20 minutes in the morning while your coffee is brewing. Then pop everything into the slow cooker, turn it on, and start your day. When mealtime rolls around, you’ll have a dinner that tastes like you spent all day on it. Pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes would all be a delicious bed to spoon this creamy chicken over. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!