There are days in late summer when the garden is still giving, the porch is full of shoes, and supper needs to mind itself while the rest of life keeps moving. This 4-Ingredient Slow Cooker August Comfort Chicken is the kind of simple, dependable meal that fits right into that season, with tender chicken slowly cooking down in a rich burgundy-colored sauce until it is easy to pull apart and spoon over just about anything. It is the sort of practical supper that feels old-fashioned in the best way, using a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients to make something hearty and welcoming.
Serve this chicken over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, rice, or thick slices of toasted country bread to catch every bit of the sauce. On the side, simple green beans, sweet corn, or a crisp cucumber salad make fine partners, and if you are feeding a crowd, a pan of roasted carrots or a bowl of coleslaw rounds it out nicely.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker August Comfort Chicken
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 cup burgundy-style cooking sauce or burgundy salad dressing
1/2 cup apricot preserves
Directions
1. Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a slow cooker in an even layer.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the dry onion soup mix, burgundy-style cooking sauce, and apricot preserves until well combined.
3. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or until the chicken is very tender.
4. Shred the chicken lightly right in the slow cooker with two forks, letting it soak up the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
5. Spoon the chicken and sauce over your choice of potatoes, noodles, rice, or bread, and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Use chicken breasts: If that is what you have on hand, boneless skinless chicken breasts work too. Check a little earlier, around 4 to 5 hours on low, so they stay tender and do not dry out.
Make it deeper and tangier: A spoonful of Dijon mustard or a splash of apple cider vinegar can be stirred into the sauce if you like a little more sharpness to balance the sweetness of the preserves.
Turn it into sandwiches: Pile the shredded chicken onto toasted sandwich buns and serve with pickles or a crisp slaw. It makes an easy supper one night and a fine lunch the next day.
Thicken the sauce: If you want a thicker finish, leave the lid off for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, or transfer the sauce to a saucepan and simmer it briefly before stirring the chicken back in.
Plan for leftovers: This keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheats nicely. The flavor settles in even more overnight, which makes it especially good spooned over leftover rice or tucked into baked potatoes.