Change up this family favorite by using chicken instead of beef!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- Only needs a handful of simple ingredients
- One of those crockpot meals where you just throw everything in and go
- Impossible to mess up this super-easy recipe
Crock pot Mississippi chicken is a delicious twist on the classic, family-favorite roast. It takes just a few minutes of prep time and you've got yourself a mouth-watering, tangy, flavorful chicken dinner—the only hard part is spelling "Mississippi!"
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Sprinkle ranch seasoning mix and au jus mix over top of the chicken.
- Add onion, butter, and peperoncini peppers to crockpot.
- Pour in remaining peperoncini liquid and cook.
- Shred. Enjoy slow cooker Mississippi chicken with your favorite sides!
🥫 Storage
One great thing (of many!) about crock pot Mississippi chicken is that it makes a fabulous leftover/freezer meal. That really helps out on busy weeknights!
The best way to store leftovers (for three to four days) is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply scoop out the leftover chicken and microwave it for a super quick dinner or lunch.
To make this easy meal last for up to three months, freeze leftovers in thick, plastic zip-top bags or other freezer-safe storage containers. You can let it thaw in the fridge, or put it right in the microwave.
Thankfully, frozen shredded chicken thaws really quickly, so you can enjoy the delicious Mississippi chicken taste in no time at all!
📖 Variations
- Dark Meat: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. In that case, however, I'd only use half a stick of butter since thighs are a bit fattier.
- Beef It Up: We love the chicken version, but you can use traditional beef. (Check out my original Mississippi pot roast recipe for more info!)
- About the Peppers: I like whole pepperoncinis as they're easier to remove later, but you can use sliced peppers, too! Banana peppers work in a pinch if you can't find pepperoncini in your grocery store.
- Other Onions: Use your favorite type of onion, or whatever you have on hand. Vidalia onions will make this crockpot chicken recipe a little sweeter, while a white onion will taste milder. If you don't like onion, you can omit it or replace it with some minced garlic.
- More Heat, Please: I always add the option, because this Southern family likes things spicy! The tangy pepperoncini peppers don't add much heat, so if you want things a bit spicier, sprinkle in some cayenne or red pepper, or drizzle in your favorite hot sauce.
- Short on cooking time? You can use the 6-8 hours/low heat setting and the 3-4 hours/high heat setting interchangeably.
- Serving Ideas: Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or on top of a fluffy bed of rice—use cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
- Just Add a Bun: Spoon some melted provolone cheese on top of your Mississippi chicken for the best sandwich ever!
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: You don't have to salt your chicken before adding it to the crockpot. The packet of au jus gravy mix and the dry ranch dressing mix have all the flavor needed.
- Don't swap the au jus packet for a brown gravy mix—they're made differently and the texture won't turn out the same.
- Use unsalted butter if you're nervous about sodium intake.
- You don't need to add any more liquid (other than the jar of pepperoncini juice.) In addition to the pepperoncini liquid, the chicken releases its own juices which keep this crockpot Mississippi chicken recipe moist and juicy!
- As tempting as the aroma is, don't lift the lid off of your crockpot while the chicken is cooking. Doing so releases heat and lowers the internal temperature, which can mess up the total cook time.
👩🍳 FAQs
Some slow cooker brands don't recommend cooking chicken from frozen because the internal temperature might not reach safe levels. If you have frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts, and want to be safe, thaw them in the fridge before putting them in your crockpot.
Well, it depends. An instant pot (or pressure cooker) uses high temps and a lot of pressure to cook things very quickly. A crockpot (or slow cooker) simmers your food gradually for a longer period of time. However, some instant pots or multi-cookers have a slow-cooker option, which you could use for this delicious meal.
Peperoncinis are a type of Tuscan pepper. They're yellow and have a mild flavor as far as peppers go. You can generally find them in the condiment section of the grocery store, near the pickles and other jarred toppings.
Yes! The crock pot cooks chicken to tender goodness - I prefer the low setting for 6 to 8 hours.
📚 Related recipes
- Crockpot Ranch Chicken and Vegetables is flavorful and satisfying. You'll receive rave reviews from the whole family—no one has to know it only takes minutes to prep!
- Tender and juicy, Cajun Slow Cooker Pot Roast has an amazing kick of flavor from yummy Southern spices—plus, you can use beef or venison!
- One of our favorite recipes for a single-pot meal, this Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots is so comforting, but takes no effort at all!
🍽️ Serve with...
🥄 Equipment
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📞 The last word
I love this easy chicken recipe! It's tangy and so stupid easy!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Crockpot Mississippi Chicken
Print Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- 1 ounce au jus gravy mix
- 1 ounce ranch dressing mix
- ½ cup butter
- 1 onion, chopped, optional
- 16 ounces Peperoncini peppers, undrained
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray.
- Peel and coarsely chop onion.
- Cut butter into cubes.
- Add chicken breasts to the bottom of the crock.
- Sprinkle au jus gravy mix and ranch dressing mix on top of the chicken.
- Then, top with butter cubes, onion, and peperoncini peppers with juice.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- 30 minutes before it's ready, take a couple of forks and shred the chicken.
- Simmer for 30 more minutes and serve.
Notes
- No need to salt the chicken. There's plenty of salt in the au jus and Ranch packets.
- Don't swap the au jus packet for a brown gravy mix—they're made differently and the texture won't turn out the same.
- As tempting as the aroma is, don't lift the lid off of your crockpot while the chicken is cooking. Doing so releases heat and lowers the internal temperature, which can mess up the total cook time.
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