Slow-Cooker Chicken with Lemon and Artichokes

By Thom7747

Why this recipe works:

We found that both light meat and dark meat worked well in our slow-cooker chicken with lemon and artichokes recipe, as long as we used bone-in pieces. We removed the skin before cooking to avoid a greasy sauce; we also opted out of searing the meat, as this step was superfluous and only complicated matters. To make the sauce for our slow-cooker chicken with lemon and artichokes recipe, we added some cremini mushrooms, bay leaves, and soy sauce to the basic sautéed aromatics of onion and garlic, and found that instant tapioca, stirred in at the onset of cooking, worked magically to thicken the sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• Salt
• 1 3/4 cups dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound carrots, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breast or thighs), skin removed and trimmed
• Ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup minced fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the artichokes, onions, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover, and cook, stirring often, until the artichokes have softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Uncover the skillet and continue to cook until the artichokes and onions are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened and measures about 3 cups, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the broth, carrots, tapioca, soy sauce, and bay leaves until evenly combined. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and nestle it in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is tender, 4 to 5 hours.

4. Transfer the chicken and carrots to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Let the cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then gently tilt the slow cooker and remove as much fat as possible from the surface using a large spoon. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the cream, tarragon, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce over the chicken and serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.