Mississippi Chicken is made with tender chicken breasts, pepperoncini peppers, ranch seasoning, au jus gravy mix, and butter. It’s an easy, savory chicken dinner with a tangy pepperoncini flavor that can be made in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or oven.
This is one of those easy chicken dinners I turn to when I don’t want a lot of prep work. The pepperoncini, ranch, and au jus do most of the work, and the chicken comes out tender enough to shred and pile onto rolls or serve over mashed potatoes.
Why I Love Mississippi Chicken
- Easy prep: Everything goes into the pot with very little work.
- Big flavor: Ranch, au jus, and pepperoncini give the chicken plenty of savory, tangy flavor.
- Tender chicken: The cooked chicken shreds easily and soaks up the flavorful sauce.
- Three cooking methods: Make it in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or oven.
- Versatile: Serve it over potatoes or rice, or pile the shredded chicken onto rolls.
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook until tender and are easy to shred after pressure cooking.
- Butter: Adds richness to the chicken and sauce.
- Pepperoncini Peppers: Use the peppers and the juice from the jar. They give Mississippi Chicken its signature tangy flavor.
- Ranch Seasoning: Adds herbs and savory flavor without needing several individual seasonings.
- Au Jus Gravy Mix: Gives the sauce a rich, savory beef flavor and helps create that classic Mississippi-style seasoning.
- Water: Provides the additional liquid needed for pressure cooking.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Mississippi Chicken
Instant Pot:
- Place the chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Pour the pepperoncinis with the juice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle both packets of seasoning mix over the top.
- Add 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup of water to the Instant Pot.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow for a natural release of pressure once the cooking cycle is complete.
Slow Cooker:
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Pour the pepperoncini with the juice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle both packets of seasoning mix over the top.
- Add 1 stick of butter to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Once done, shred the chicken using two forks and mix it with the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Serve hot over rice, mashed potatoes, or your favorite side dish.
Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the chicken in a baking dish.
- Pour the pepperoncinis with the juice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle both packets of seasoning mix over the top.
- Add 1 stick of butter to the baking dish.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Once done, shred the chicken using two forks and mix it with the sauce in the baking dish.
- Serve hot over rice, mashed potatoes, or your favorite side dish.
Tips I Found Helpful 💙
- Don’t drain the pepperoncini: Add the peppers and their juice for the tangy flavor that makes Mississippi Chicken so good.
- Use the whole chicken breasts: There’s no need to cut them into pieces before cooking. Shred the chicken once it’s tender.
- Shred the chicken in the sauce: After cooking, shred the chicken and stir it back into the flavorful juices so it can soak them up.
- Adjust the pepperoncini: Add more or fewer peppers depending on how much tangy pepper flavor you want.
- Choose the method that works for you: The Instant Pot is great when you need dinner quickly, while the slow cooker and oven methods give you other easy options.
FAQs about Mississippi Chicken
More Chicken Recipes I Love
Yield: 10
Mississippi Chicken
4.7 Stars (347 Reviews)
Mississippi Chicken with tender chicken, pepperoncini, ranch seasoning, au jus, and butter.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Additional Time
15 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter
- 16 oz jar pepperoncinis peppers with juice
- 1 packet ranch dressing seasoning packet
- 1 packet Au Jus gravy mix packet
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
Instant Pot:
- Place the chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Pour the pepperoncinis with the juice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle both packets of seasoning mix over the top.
- Add 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup of water to the Instant Pot.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow for a natural release of pressure once the cooking cycle is complete.
Slow Cooker:
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Pour the pepperoncini with the juice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle both packets of seasoning mix over the top.
- Add 1 stick of butter to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Once done, shred the chicken using two forks and mix it with the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Serve hot over rice, mashed potatoes, or your favorite side dish.
Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the chicken in a baking dish.
- Pour the pepperoncinis with the juice over the chicken.
- Sprinkle both packets of seasoning mix over the top.
- Add 1 stick of butter to the baking dish.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Once done, shred the chicken using two forks and mix it with the sauce in the baking dish.
- Serve hot over rice, mashed potatoes, or your favorite side dish.
Notes
Do not drain the pepperoncini; the juice adds flavor to the chicken. Shred the cooked chicken and stir it back into the sauce before serving. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice, or pile it onto rolls with provolone cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 188Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 733mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 29g
Can pickles be substituted for the peppers??
I don’t understand why you would freeze this. Cooking from frozen takes much more time than cooking from fresh…
@DebbieP, this is one of my absolute favorite frozen meals to keep on hand for those busy days when I realize it’s 4 o’clock and I forgot to think about dinner!
@DebbieP,
I pretty often forget to set out my meal or meat the night or two previously to thaw. I’ve had to use my instant pot a few times and yes, it does take longer, but it saves me from having to order out. 🙂
I tried this recipe and it is SO good. I am definitely adding it to my regular menu. I thought it was going to be a might spicy with all the peppers but it had just enough to give it the flavor without too much spiciness. I really loved it!
Any chance you can suggest substitutions for the 2 packets. Sodium is too high. I have ranch seasoning in a shaker if that would work. Not sure about the au jus packet.
Yes that works
@Nancy S, you could try just using a low sodium or no sodium beef stock powder. The shaker ranch seasoning is the same as the packets. Just measure out 2 tablespoons