Squeeze dijon mustard over raw chicken thighs, alongside 4 other ingredients, into slow cooker for a simple weeknight supper that's the one everyone asks for

This slow cooker Amish-style chicken Dijon noodles recipe is the sort of weeknight supper that feels like it came from a church basement potluck table: humble ingredients, big comfort. It starts just the way the headline says—by squeezing Dijon mustard right over raw chicken thighs in the slow cooker, then adding only four more pantry staples plus noodles at the end. It reminds me of the simple, thrifty suppers I grew up with on Midwestern farms, where a slow cooker could turn a few basics into something everyone asked for again and again.

Serve the chicken and noodles in wide, shallow bowls so all that creamy, tangy sauce has room to pool. A side of buttered peas or green beans fits the Amish-style comfort, and a simple lettuce salad with a sweet vinaigrette balances the richness. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of buttered white bread are perfect for soaking up the extra sauce. If you like, finish each bowl with a little black pepper and a sprinkle of fresh parsley for color.

Servings: 6

2 1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs

Place the raw chicken thighs in a single layer in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. If they overlap a little, that is fine.

Holding the bottle over the chicken, squeeze the Dijon mustard generously over the tops of the raw thighs, zigzagging back and forth until they are well coated.

In a small bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and dry onion soup mix until mostly smooth. It does not have to be perfect; a few lumps are fine.

Pour the soup mixture evenly over the mustard-coated chicken thighs in the slow cooker, letting it run down around the sides.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for about 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

About 25 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions until just tender. Drain well.

While the noodles cook, carefully remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker to a plate or shallow bowl. Pull the meat from the bones, discarding any bones and gristle, and roughly shred or chunk the meat. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce.

Add the drained egg noodles to the slow cooker and gently fold them into the chicken and sauce until everything is well coated. Cover and let sit on WARM or LOW for 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors come together.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed with a little salt and black pepper, then ladle the chicken and noodles into bowls and serve hot.

For a creamier version, stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt right before adding the noodles; do not let it boil, just warm through. If you prefer boneless thighs, use about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds and shorten the cook time slightly, checking for tenderness 30 minutes earlier. You can swap cream of mushroom soup for the cream of chicken if that is what you keep on hand, or use half of each for a deeper flavor. To stretch the meal for a crowd, add an extra 4 ounces of noodles and a splash more broth at the end. For a little color and sweetness, stir in 1 to 2 cups of thawed frozen peas or mixed vegetables during the last 20 minutes of cooking. If you like a stronger mustard taste, drizzle another tablespoon or two of Dijon over the finished dish and stir gently. Leftovers reheat well in a covered skillet with a spoonful of water or broth to loosen the sauce.