Pour bottled honey mustard dressing and these 3 ingredients over chicken breasts into a slow cooker for a weeknight comfort meal that never gets old

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish-style honey mustard chicken is the kind of weeknight comfort meal you can put together in minutes and let gently bubble away while you get on with your day. It leans on a bottle of store-bought honey mustard dressing, a staple shortcut in many Midwestern and Amish community kitchens, where simple pantry ingredients are transformed into cozy, family-style meals. Everything is poured right over boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker, yielding tender, shred-with-a-fork meat and a sweet-tangy sauce that feels nostalgic without being fussy.

Serve this honey mustard chicken over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or simple steamed rice to soak up every bit of the sauce. A crisp green side salad or steamed green beans balances the sweetness nicely, and buttered peas or roasted carrots keep the meal in that old-fashioned comfort zone. If you have leftovers, the shredded chicken is wonderful tucked into soft rolls with a little extra sauce spooned over the top.

Servings: 4

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Place the raw chicken breasts in an even layer on the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the bottled honey mustard dressing and chicken broth until smooth and pourable.

Pour the honey mustard mixture evenly over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, making sure they are mostly submerged in the sauce.

Dot the top of the chicken and sauce with the small pieces of butter so they melt evenly into the cooking liquid.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Once cooked, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if you like with a pinch of salt or a grind of black pepper. Serve the chicken whole with plenty of sauce, or shred it in the slow cooker and stir it back into the honey mustard sauce before serving.

For a slightly creamier version, stir in 1/4 to 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt at the very end of cooking, off the heat, so it doesn’t curdle. If you prefer darker meat, substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook on LOW for about 5 to 6 hours; they stay especially juicy. To introduce a bit of herbal depth that still feels Amish-style, add 1 teaspoon dried thyme or parsley along with the dressing and broth. You can also add 1 to 2 cups of peeled carrot chunks or baby carrots around the chicken before pouring on the sauce to make the dish more of a one-pot meal. For a touch more tang, whisk in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with the dressing and broth. Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated gently and served over toast, tucked into sandwiches, or spooned over baked potatoes for another easy dinner.