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This 5-ingredient Mississippi chicken recipe is really easy to make and perfectly juicy! The signature pepperoncini ranch sauce tastes zesty and amazing.
I think you’ll also enjoy my Creamy Lemon and Herb Pot Roasted Chicken or Mississippi Sloppy Joes.
Why you’ll love it
You’ve probably heard of Mississippi Pot Roast already since it’s so popular, and I’m happy to bring you similar flavors with chicken! It’s super simple to throw together and has an irresistibly tasty savory sauce with pepperoncini peppers.
The magical buttery sauce keeps the chicken nice and moist as it cooks, and then it’s fall-apart tender. Absolute perfection. I love the little kick from the peppers. This Crockpot Mississippi chicken is a family-friendly pantry recipe that will go on repeat and makes fantastic leftovers!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Pepperoncini peppers – these peppers and brine give the sauce its tangy quality. Find them in a jar in the pickle aisle.
- Au jus mix – get one labeled au jus gravy. It’s different than regular gravy.
- Ranch seasoning – I prefer Hidden Valley, but use your favorite
- Butter – for adding luxurious, buttery goodness. Make sure to use unsalted since the seasoning and au jus already contain salt.
Helpful tips
- This recipe has a bit of a kick, but as written, it’s not too spicy. Out of all the hot peppers out there, pepperoncini peppers are fairly mild. If you want it to have more kick, you can go ahead and the whole jar of peppers!
- The chicken should shred easily with two forks. If it doesn’t, simply give it a little more time. I usually cook mine on high for 3.5 hours.
How to make Mississippi chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Add the chicken to your slow cooker, followed by pouring in the pepperoncini juice. Add in the contents of the packets, and arrange the remaining ingredients around and on top of the chicken. Once cooked, shred with two forks and enjoy.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the Crockpot model I use for this recipe.
- An instant read meat thermometer is an inexpensive way to make sure your chicken is cooked perfectly to 165F.
Substitutions and variations
- If salt is a concern, you can use a Homemade Ranch Seasoning vs. the packaged kind.
- You may want to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, especially if you’re planning on cooking it for 8 hours on low heat. Chicken breasts are very lean and can dry out quite easily. I’d use 6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts depending on their size (you want about 2 lbs. or so).
- If you prefer to make oven baked Mississippi chicken, use a 9×13 baking dish and cook at 375F, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is 165F in the middle.
What to serve with Mississippi chicken
- It’s great over mashed potatoes. Try my classic Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or change it up with these Boursin Mashed Potatoes. Rice works well too!
- It’s also delicious served in a bun with some coleslaw or sweet pickles and mayo for Mississippi chicken sandwiches, or you could serve them as tacos.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover slow cooker Mississippi chicken for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat over a low heat until warmed through.
- You can freeze this one for up to 3 months, but be aware chicken breasts can dry out more in the freezer.
If you made this Mississippi chicken recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and review in the comments below! You can also find me on Instagram.
Mississippi Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 12 pepperoncini peppers + 1/4 cup juice from the jar
- 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix I use Hidden Valley
- 1 (1 ounce) packet au jus seasoning
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) cut into pieces
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to your slow cooker. Pour in the pepperoncini juice and then add the peppers on/around the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the ranch and au jus seasoning, and then place the butter on top. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
- Shred the chicken with two forks, toss with the sauce, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Chicken breasts can dry out, so if you’re planning on cooking it for the full 8 hours, you may want to swap with boneless skinless chicken thighs as they hold up better to slow cooking.
- This recipe is quite salty, so be sure to use unsalted butter and taste before adding any extra salt.
- Adapted from my Mississippi Pot Roast recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have made this recipe and it is soooo good. I did temper the tangyness by serving over some rice. Slaw on a sammich would work as well!
I’m so glad you liked it!
I follow your directions using chicken thighs. Then I add potatoes, carrots, and onions. It’s a favorite of my friends. I serve with parmesan yeast rolls.
Wonderful!! 😀
Love you and love this recipe. But it is VERY SALTY! Make sure to use no salt anything. But I love all your recipes! Thank you for being the wonderful woman and woman inspiration you are
Thanks, Luke! Yes – that is why in the blog post I emphasize to use unsalted butter etc. 🙂
This was awesome…a friend made it and I decided to give it a try. It’s def salty like we are told, for me I’ll cut the seasoning pkts in 1/2 next time. I used the slice pepperonis and it turned out just great. Thanks for the keto friendly recipe! 💕
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Debbie!! 😀 Thank you!
Love this with Beef, decided to try it with chicken. Only giving 4 stars because I wasn’t a huge fan of the au jus gravy. Tried it a couple weeks later and used a packet of onion soup mix instead of the au jus and it was perfect. I prefer the thinner sauce on it.
I had my 10 year old try it (spooned over white rice) and he gobbled it up with no complaints.
Glad you were able to tweak it with the onion soup mix.
I made this for dinner tonight, so easy and delicious. I used chicken thighs instead of breast. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! You’re very welcome, Lu!
It was amazing! I used 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts and an extra tip of the pepperoncini jar for additional juices. I used Butter and Herb Idahoan instant potatoes to put the shredded chicken on. Even my picky eater inhaled it. Such a better alternative price wise than doing the pot roast version.
Thank you so much!!
How spicy is this dish?
Hi! I describe that in the “helpful tips” section near the top of the blog post. 🙂
First had this dish while visiting family. Needless to say, I had to get the recipe and the link to S&L from my niece. Made it yesterday for the first time and it couldn’t be easier or more stress free! Super delicious and am looking forward to trying the Mississippi Pot Roast for Super Bowl Sunday! I do plan to make my own Ranch Seasoning Mix per the link added to the recipe – just wondering how much is equivalent to a Hidden Valley Ranch package, or should I just weigh out 1 oz of homemade mix?
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Judy!! 😀 Thanks for your review. I think weighing out the 1 oz is probably the best way to go. I am guessing it’ll be a lot less salty, so if you find the flavor is lacking a bit, you could always add more next time.
So, so good! I made this today exactly as written and it turned out great!!
Fantastic!! 😀 Thank you for your review!