Comfort food for fall

I recently tried a new recipe I found in the October 2011 issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray. A delicious aroma wafted through our house all afternoon as the mixture of chicken and herbs simmered away in the slow cooker, tempting my nose and promising a delicious meal to come. That evening, my husband must have told me at least three times while he ate that it was "delicious." Creating in the kitchen brings me joy. Bringing joy to my husband after a long day at work? That's even better. I hope you and your family enjoy a bit of comfort, cooked up in a crockpot, with a dash of love stirred in.

Tarragon Chicken (crockpot)

½ cup plus 2 Tb. Chicken broth

4 Tb. Spicy brown mustard (I used Gulden’s) or Dijon mustard

Up to 4 lb. chicken pieces (I used 2 boneless, skinless breasts,  as well as 4 bone-in, skinless thighs)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp. dried tarragon (or 2 Tb. chopped fresh tarragon)

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 Tb. cornstarch

1 lemon, finely zested and juiced

1 Tb. chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

¼ tsp. dried tarragon (or 1 Tb. chopped fresh tarragon)

1 package cooked, buttered noodles (pappardelle is my favorite)

1.       Pour the broth into a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; rub the chicken with the seasoned mustard. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and top with the garlic and 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 2 Tb. fresh). Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh away from the bone registers 165 degrees or above, about 5 hours.

2.       Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and cover to keep warm. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. In a small bowl, combine the cream and cornstarch. Whisk the mixture into the saucepan and cook until the sauce is thickened; stir in the lemon juice. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken pieces, reserving the other half to serve in a gravy boat to serve with the cooked noodles.

3.       In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, parsley, and ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 Tb. fresh). Sprinkle half of the lemon-herb mixture over the chicken, stir the remaining into the reserved sauce.

4.       ENJOY!