Crockpot Mississippi chicken is a classic Southern comfort food. Think of it as a healthier pot roast alternative.
It pairs ranch dressing and au jus gravy mix with pepperoncini peppers for one seriously delicious sauce!
Plus, since it’s Crockpot Mississippi chicken, your slow cooker does all the work for you.
As a bonus, cleanup is a total breeze!
Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken
Talk about juicy! Crockpot Mississippi chicken is loaded with savory flavors. As the chicken cooks low and slow, it absorbs all the goodness.
It’s so moist and tender, your fork shreds it like butter.
Adding herbal ranch dressing mix with au jus gravy mix takes the flavor to new heights. All you need to do is rip open the packets and let your Crockpot do the heavy lifting.
Get ready to meet your family’s new favorite weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Here’s the short list of ingredients you’ll need for Crockpot Mississippi chicken.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs work best. Chicken thighs offer a little more depth of flavor, but chicken breasts are just as tasty.
- Ranch dressing mix – Use whatever ranch seasoning blend you prefer, like Hidden Valley. It contains the perfect blend of spices in one compact little package.
- Au jus gravy mix – A package of au jus gravy mix adds wonderful savory notes to pair perfectly with ranch dressing.
- Butter – Since chicken is leaner than pork or beef, add a little fat to the mix. Like any good Southern recipe, butter is your best friend! It adds a warm, nutty flavor to this dish.
- Pepperoncini peppers – There are a lot of intense savory flavors here, so pepperoncini peppers help brighten things up a bit. Be sure to reserve some of the juice from the jar.
How to Make Crockpot Mississippi Chicken
Crockpot Mississippi chicken is an easy dump-and-go recipe It’s nice when your kitchen appliances make a meal for you, isn’t it?
You can prepare it in a matter of minutes:
1. Add the chicken. Place the chicken breasts or thighs in a single layer in the base of your slow cooker.
2. Add the seasoning mixes. Sprinkle the ranch dressing and au jus mix over the chicken, coating the chicken evenly.
3. Bring on the peppers – Place butter pieces and pepperoncini peppers on top. Then, finish it off with some of the reserved pepper juice.
4. Cook. Set the Crockpot to low, and cook for 6-8 hours. Or, place it on high and cook for 4-5 hours. If the pot starts to run dry, add water as needed.
5. Shred. After it cooks, shred the chicken with two forks, mixing it with the sauce. Serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
Check out these simple tricks and variations to make this dinner a standout weeknight meal.
- Give it a good greasing. Spraying your Crockpot with cooking spray is a quality-of-life tip. It makes cleanup easy, and you won’t need to let it soak before washing.
- Shred it when it’s hot! Always shred your chicken right at the end of the cooking process when it’s hot. It’s much easier to shred piping hot chicken than cooled chicken.
- Give it an upgrade. Want to transform this recipe into a chicken pot roast? That’s easy! Just add in classic pot roast veggies like potatoes and carrots. It makes a perfect one-pot meal.
- Bring on the heat. Pepperoncini peppers are mild and not very spicy. If you want more spice to this dish, try adding a few jalapenos. Or, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
How to Store and Reheat
I love repurposing leftovers for weeknight sandwiches or a packed lunch. Here are some tips to keep the chicken fresh:
To Store: Let the chicken come to room temperature, then transfer it to an air-tight container. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge.
To Freeze: This recipe freezes incredibly well! Place leftovers in a freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. Frozen chicken will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Allow frozen chicken to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, place in a baking dish and 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, you can just place it in the microwave. Add a little water to prevent it from drying out.
What to Serve with Mississippi Chicken
This recipe tastes great with just about anything!
It pairs perfectly with a heaping portion of mashed potatoes or seasoned rice. Or serve it with a side of potato salad for a summer BBQ!
Or these Mississippi mud potatoes are a truly delicious side your family will adore.
If you want to cut out the carbs, you can’t go wrong with roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts or asparagus.
More Crockpot Recipes
Crockpot Angel Chicken
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
Paula Deen Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Easy Crockpot Taco Soup
Crockpot Mississippi Chicken
4-6
servings5
minutes8
hours8
hours5
minutesMake dinner a breeze with Crockpot Mississippi chicken! Tender chicken is cooked with ranch dressing and au jus gravy mix for an irresistible, filling meal.
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 (1 ounce) packet ranch dressing mix
1 (1.25 ounce) packet au jus gravy mix
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
8-10 pepperoncini peppers, plus 1/2 cup of the juice from the jar
1/4 cup water, optional
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts or thighs to your Crockpot in a single layer.
- Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix and au jus gravy mix evenly over the chicken.
- Scatter the butter pieces and pepperoncini peppers on top. Pour in the pepperoncini juice.
- If your Crockpot tends to run dry, add 1/4 cup of water.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.
- When finished, use two forks to shred the chicken in the crockpot, mixing it with the sauce.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a mix of both breasts and thighs for fantastic flavor.
- You can adjust the amount of pepperoncini peppers to your spice preference.
- For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Then stir it into the crockpot after shredding the chicken and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Will it be ok if I cut the chicken into pieces instead of shredding ? Some reason family doesn’t like shredded chicken.
I’ve never made the recipe that way, Janet, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work just fine.
Be careful. My family could not eat this Mississippi chicken. It’s extremely salty. So something you need to be aware of this dish. I did not add salt to it either. I was disappointed because it is so easy to make.
Oh no!
I hate that this recipe didn’t work out for you.
I wonder if you skipped adding the pepperoncini brine into the mix and just added another 1/2 cup water if that would help. I do apologize that you weren’t able to enjoy it. 🙁 That’s always a bummer.