Equipment Needed
- 4 to 6-quart slow cooker
- Cutting board and chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small whisk or fork
- Tongs
Step-by-Step Instructions
The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity. I start by finely dicing my onion and mincing the garlic. I’ve found that taking an extra minute here to get the onion nice and small means it melts into the sauce perfectly, without any awkward, large chunks later. I then simply lay my chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker insert and sprinkle them with the salt, pepper, and dried thyme. There’s no need to sear the chicken first—I’ve tried it both ways, and while searing adds color, for this specific recipe, the slow cooker does all the work of building flavor beautifully on its own.
Now, for the fun part: making the sauce. In a medium bowl, I combine the whole-berry cranberry sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, diced onion, and minced garlic. I use a small whisk to break up the cranberry sauce and blend everything into a gorgeous, ruby-red mixture. I’ve learned that really taking a moment to ensure the Dijon is fully incorporated is key—you don’t want any hidden pockets of strong mustard flavor. Then, I just pour this vibrant sauce right over the chicken in the cooker, making sure each piece gets some love.
Here’s where patience comes in. I place the lid on, set my slow cooker to LOW for 5-6 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours), and walk away. I used to peek constantly, but I’ve learned that just letting it do its thing is best. The first time I made this, I was so nervous I checked every hour, and I’m convinced it added an extra 30 minutes to the cooking time! When you finally lift the lid, the smell is incredible, and the chicken will be fork-tender.(See the next page below to continue…)