I built this Mississippi Chicken around tender shredded chicken and an unexpected sauce, and the entire ingredient list fits on one hand.

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I love when a dish looks like it’s complicated but isnt, my Easy Mississippi Chicken is exactly that. Tender shredded chicken swims in the most amazing sauce, made with a packet of ranch dressing mix and some pepperoncini peppers for a tiny tang, and you can count the ingredients on one hand.

I keep making it for weeknight rescue dinners, and it shows up in my Pressure Cooker Mississippi Chicken experiments and on my list of Shredded Chicken Recipes more than I planned. It’s one of those recipes that makes people ask whats in it, even when you shrug and say, dont ask, just try it.

Ingredients

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chicken breasts, lean protein powerhouse, low carbs, fills you up, cooks tender sometimes
butter adds silky richness, lots of saturated fat, makes sauce decadent not healthy
ranch mix brings herbs and tang, mostly sodium, rounded creamy flavor, no freshness
au jus mix gives savory umami, deep beefy notes, adds more salt and color
pepperoncini add bright tang and mild heat, low calories, some vitamin C

Ingredient Quantities

3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4 breasts give or take

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp)

1 (1 oz) packet ranch dressing mix

1 (about 1 oz) packet au jus or brown gravy mix

6 to 8 pepperoncini peppers, whole (add some of the juice if you want it tangy)

How to Make this

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1. Place the 3 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer if you can.

2. Cut the stick of unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp) into a few pats and scatter them over the chicken.

3. Sprinkle the entire 1 oz packet of ranch dressing mix and the 1 oz packet of au jus or brown gravy mix evenly over the top.

4. Nestle 6 to 8 whole pepperoncini peppers on and around the chicken; add a few spoonfuls of the pepperoncini juice if you want it tangy, but dont go overboard unless you like heat.

5. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily with forks.

6. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or bowl, shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the buttery pepperoncini-ranch sauce so everything soaks up the flavor.

7. If the sauce seems too thin, set the slow cooker to HIGH with the lid off for 15 to 30 minutes to reduce, or scoop a little of the hot liquid into a small bowl, whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch until smooth, then stir that back in and simmer until thickened.

8. Taste and adjust: add a little extra pepperoncini juice for tang, or more peppers for bite. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, or on sandwich rolls. Use the cooking liquid so nothing dries out.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker (6 to 8 qt)
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/2 cup measure (for butter and seasonings)
5. Butter knife or small paring knife to cut the stick of butter into pats
6. Two forks or kitchen tongs for shredding the chicken
7. Small mixing bowl (for the cornstarch slurry if needed)
8. Whisk (to smooth out the cornstarch slurry)
9. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir and scrape the sauce
10. Ladle or large serving spoon plus oven mitts or potholders for safe handling

FAQ

3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4 breasts give or take

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp)

1 (1 oz) packet ranch dressing mix

1 (about 1 oz) packet au jus or brown gravy mix

6 to 8 pepperoncini peppers, whole (add some of the juice if you want it tangy)

Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? A: Yes, boneless skinless thighs work great and stay juicy, use same seasonings and similar cook time.

Q: How long do I cook it in a slow cooker? A: Cook on low 4 to 6 hours or high 2 to 3 hours, until internal temp is 165 F and chicken shreds easily.

Q: Is this recipe spicy? A: Not really, pepperoncini are mild and tangy. Add some of the pepper juice for more zip, or use fewer peppers if you want milder.

Q: Can I shred the chicken right in the slow cooker? A: You can, but sometimes it’s easier to take the chicken out, shred on a plate, then stir back into the sauce to avoid overcooking.

Q: How do I thicken the sauce? A: Simmer drained sauce on the stove to reduce, or whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and stir into hot sauce until thickened.

Q: How long does leftovers keep? A: Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently so it doesn’t dry out.

Easy Mississippi Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Chicken breasts: swap for bone-in or boneless chicken thighs (about 3 lb). Thighs stay juicier and wont dry out in the slow cooker, cook time is basically the same.
Unsalted butter: use salted butter (then skip any extra salt) or 1/2 cup margarine; for a lighter fat try 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil though the flavor will change.
Ranch dressing mix: replace with 2 tbsp store-bought ranch seasoning or make a quick mix of 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder and 1 tsp dried dill plus salt to taste.
Pepperoncini peppers: use banana peppers or jarred mild pickled peppers for the tang without much heat, or swap in 2 to 3 tbsp pickled jalapeños if you want more kick.

Pro Tips

1. Sear the chicken quick in a hot skillet first if you can, just 1 to 2 minutes per side. You wont overcook it in the slow cooker and you get way more depth of flavor than straight from raw.

2. Cut the butter into pats and tuck some under the chicken, dont just leave it all on top. That helps the fat melt into the meat instead of running off to the bottom.

3. Be careful with the seasoning. Those packets can be salty so consider reduced sodium versions or add the powders gradually and taste before serving. Same thing with the pepperoncini juice, add a spoonful at a time unless you like it tangy and a little spicy.

4. Shred faster with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 20 to 30 seconds if you dont want to wrestle with forks, then return the juices to the pot and reduce to concentrate flavor. If you want sandwich chicken, spread shredded meat on a sheet and blast under the broiler for a couple minutes to get crisp edges.

Easy Mississippi Chicken Recipe

Recipe by Nicky Smith

0.0 from 0 votes

I built this Mississippi Chicken around tender shredded chicken and an unexpected sauce, and the entire ingredient list fits on one hand.

Servings

servings

Calories

810

kcal

Equipment: 1. Slow cooker (6 to 8 qt)
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/2 cup measure (for butter and seasonings)
5. Butter knife or small paring knife to cut the stick of butter into pats
6. Two forks or kitchen tongs for shredding the chicken
7. Small mixing bowl (for the cornstarch slurry if needed)
8. Whisk (to smooth out the cornstarch slurry)
9. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir and scrape the sauce
10. Ladle or large serving spoon plus oven mitts or potholders for safe handling

Ingredients

3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4 breasts give or take
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp)
1 (1 oz) packet ranch dressing mix
1 (about 1 oz) packet au jus or brown gravy mix
6 to 8 pepperoncini peppers, whole (add some of the juice if you want it tangy)

Directions

Place the 3 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer if you can.
Cut the stick of unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp) into a few pats and scatter them over the chicken.
Sprinkle the entire 1 oz packet of ranch dressing mix and the 1 oz packet of au jus or brown gravy mix evenly over the top.
Nestle 6 to 8 whole pepperoncini peppers on and around the chicken; add a few spoonfuls of the pepperoncini juice if you want it tangy, but dont go overboard unless you like heat.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily with forks.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board or bowl, shred with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir into the buttery pepperoncini-ranch sauce so everything soaks up the flavor.
If the sauce seems too thin, set the slow cooker to HIGH with the lid off for 15 to 30 minutes to reduce, or scoop a little of the hot liquid into a small bowl, whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch until smooth, then stir that back in and simmer until thickened.
Taste and adjust: add a little extra pepperoncini juice for tang, or more peppers for bite. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, or on sandwich rolls. Use the cooking liquid so nothing dries out.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.