Mississippi chicken is a tangy, buttery crockpot dinner made with boneless chicken breasts, ranch dressing mix, au jus gravy mix, and pepperoncini peppers that melt into a rich sauce as it cooks. I reach for this one on weeks when dinner needs to happen without me standing over a stove. Prep takes about 10 minutes, then it cooks low and slow for 6 to 8 hours (or 3 to 5 on high) until the chicken falls apart with a fork.
Shred the chicken for sandwiches and rice bowls, or leave the breasts whole and let everyone slice their own portion. This one is easy enough for a weeknight and still substantial enough for company. I like it best over rice with a side of green beans, or alongside my baby potatoes recipes when I want something heartier.
Give yourself enough time for a tray of Rhodes rolls to fully proof, because you are going to want to mop up every drop of that buttery, tangy sauce. If you love this flavor profile, check out my chicken quarters recipes collection for more ways to use it.
Ingredients needed:
Five ingredients, one pot, and a sauce that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did. Here is what each one is doing.
Why these ingredients matter:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts shred clean once they are fully cooked, which is why I use them instead of bone-in cuts here. You want them raw and untrimmed of fat going into the crockpot; the fat renders out and helps keep the meat from drying out over the long cook.
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing packet is doing more than seasoning the chicken; the buttermilk and herb blend is what gives the finished sauce its tang and body. Store-brand ranch packets work fine here too.
Au jus gravy packet builds the savory, beefy-tasting base underneath the ranch flavor. It sounds like an odd pairing with chicken, but it is what makes this sauce taste like more than a ranch packet dumped in a pot.
Butter, a full stick, melts down over the hours-long cook and ties the ranch and au jus together into a glossy sauce instead of two separate seasoning layers sitting on the chicken.
Pepperoncini peppers and their juice are non-negotiable for me. The peppers add a mild, vinegary bite, and the juice is what keeps the whole sauce from tasting flat or one-note salty.
Recipe Card?
To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.
Substitutions
Here is what you can swap if you need to adjust this recipe.
Bone-in, split chicken breasts or bone-in chicken thighs instead of boneless. You gain more flavor as the bone slowly releases into the sauce over the long cook, and you lose the convenience of a quick shred at the end. I stick with boneless breasts for this recipe; they shred clean in under a minute with two forks, and on a weeknight that speed matters more to me than the marginal flavor boost. If you have bone-in on hand and time to pick the meat off the bone before serving, it will taste just as good. I would not reach for it if you are pressed for time.
How to make Mississippi Chicken
This is a dump-and-go recipe, but the order you layer things in the crockpot changes how the sauce comes together, so it is worth following the order below.
Season the chicken
Add the chicken breasts to the Crock-Pot and sprinkle the packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing powder evenly over the top. You want the chicken fully coated in a light layer of seasoning, with no bare spots showing.
Add the au jus mix
Sprinkle the au jus gravy packet over the chicken next. This is where the savory, beefy depth in the sauce comes from, so do not skip it even if you are light on ranch mix.
Add the butter
Set the whole stick directly in the center of the chicken so it melts down and bastes the meat as it cooks instead of pooling off to one side of the pot.
Add the pepperoncini and cook
Scatter the pepperoncini peppers over the top and pour in a splash of the pepperoncini juice, about 2 to 3 tablespoons. The juice is what gives the sauce its tang, so do not rinse the peppers first. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 5 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork and reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Shred and serve
Shred the chicken right in the crockpot with two forks, or lift it out and serve as a whole breast if you prefer. Spoon plenty of the sauce over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. If you want the sauce thicker, see the Thickening Tip below.
Did you make this recipe?
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Sarah's recommendation
7 qt. Crock-Pot
Perfect for Chicken, Roasts and Meals for 8+ people.
Storage Tip
Here is how to keep this fresh, whether you are storing leftovers or getting ahead on a future dinner.
Let the chicken and sauce cool to room temperature within 2 hours of cooking, then transfer to a closed container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To freeze, shred the cooked chicken and pack it in a freezer-safe container or bag with enough sauce to keep it moist. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating Instructions
I warm leftovers in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments until heated through.
Thickening Tip
To thicken the sauce, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup of water. Add the slurry to the slow cooker for the last 10 minutes of the cook. Thickening is not necessary, but it is an option.
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.
Rice and mashed potatoes are the classic choices because they soak up the sauce, but I also love it over egg noodles or alongside a simple green vegetable like green beans. A tray of Rhodes rolls on the side is never a bad idea.
Yes. Shred the cooked chicken, pack it with some of the sauce in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Yes, boneless or bone-in chicken thighs both work. Bone-in cuts add extra flavor to the sauce but take a few more minutes to shred once they're done cooking.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 5 hours. Either setting works, low just gives the flavors more time to develop. However you cook it, check that the chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and shreds easily before serving.
Refrigerated leftovers keep for up to 5 days in a closed container. For longer storage, freeze the shredded chicken and sauce for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 4 (4) Chicken Breasts
- 1 packet (1 packet) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Packet
- 1 packet (1 packet) Au Jus
- 1 Jar (1 Jar) Pepperoncini with liquid
- 1 stick (1 stick) Butter
Optional
- 2 Tablespoon (2 Tablespoon) Cornstarch
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the Crock-Pot and sprinkle with the packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing powder.4 Chicken Breasts, 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Packet
- Sprinkle the Au Jus packet next.1 packet Au Jus
- Add the stick of butter on top. I like to put it in the center so that it slowly melts and bastes the chicken.1 stick Butter
- Add the pepperoncini and a splash of the pepperoncini juice. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-5 hours.1 Jar Pepperoncini
- Shred the chicken if desired, or serve as a whole piece of chicken. Serve with Rice, potatoes or pasta.
Nutrition
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- I've made this more times than I can count, and a few things hold true every time.
- If you leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes, the sauce thickens up on its own. Keep it on the whole time if you want it soupier for spooning over rice.
- The pepperoncini juice is doing more work than it gets credit for. I've cut back on it thinking it would be too tangy, and the sauce just tasted flat without it.
- I use a 7-quart Crock-Pot for this recipe. If yours runs smaller or hotter, check the chicken at the low end of the time range so it does not dry out.
- My son asks for this one by name, and he wants it shredded and piled on rice, not served as a whole breast. Leftovers taste even better on day two once the sauce has had time to soak in.
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