Name: Slow-Cooker Lemony Chicken With Artichokes and Capers
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts , trimmed; Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 onion , chopped fine; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 3 cups jarred whole baby artichokes packed in water, halved, rinsed, and patted dry; 1 (2-inch) strip lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons capers , rinsed; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

As the chicken cooked, the lemon zest infused the meat and the sauce with bright flavor. Bone-in chicken breasts stayed moist and juicy even after hours of simmering. Some onion and garlic gave the dish additional depth and savory flavor. For the sauce, we loved the combination of bold, briny capers with the bright lemon and hearty artichokes. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice added at the end reinforced the citrus flavor, and a little heavy cream thickened and enriched the sauce.

Before You Begin

While we prefer the flavor and texture of jarred whole baby artichokes, you can substitute 18 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry, for the jarred. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Check the chicken's temperature after 2 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 160 degrees.

Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate and discard skin.

Add onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until onion is softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir artichokes and lemon zest into slow cooker. Arrange chicken, skinned side up, in even layer in slow cooker, adding any accumulated juices. Cover and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 hours on low.

Transfer chicken to serving dish and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Discard lemon zest. Stir cream, capers, parsley, and lemon juice into cooking liquid and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.