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Mississippi chicken is a spinoff of the original Mississippi roast and it is equally as flavorful, tender, and just as easy to make! Juicy chicken thighs bathe in a savory, buttery sauce that at the end of the cooking process, fall apart and melt in your mouth. This is one hearty and savory meal you won’t want to miss.
Over a decade ago, when I first made Mississippi Roast for the blog, I remember how enthralled I was at how easy the recipe was and how much flavor it had at the same time. Fast forward 10 years and here we are with the roast’s sister, Mississippi chicken.
Mississippi chicken is equally tender and flavorful as its older sister. It uses the same base recipe and after 6 hours, your house is filled with the most incredible smell and the chicken is fall apart tender. It is then shredded and put back in with the buttery, tangy, sauce for all the flavors to meld together some more. For five simple ingredients and hardly any effort, this dinner yields 100% satisfaction.
What is Mississippi chicken?
It is a chicken recipe that uses the same ingredients as Mississippi roast. Made with au jus gravy mix, ranch seasoning, pepperoncinis, and butter, it gives the dish a buttery, savory, and tangy flavor.
Why is it called Mississippi Roast/Chicken?
Apparently the name was always just ‘roast’ or ‘pot roast’ and the lady who came up with the original roast recipe didn’t throw the name Mississippi in front of it. She was from Mississippi and I guess people added that state in front of the roast’s name as an ode to the state and the rest is history.
Why You’ll Love This
- Virtually no prep time. The prep time on here is so minimal you’ll wonder if you’re doing something wrong. No, I promise you, this is one of the reasons why this recipe is so amazing! You put everything into the crockpot and let it do its thing.
- Short ingredient list. Only five ingredients!
- Full of flavor. The five ingredients together make a wonderful medley of flavors. The combination of tangy, buttery, and savory make for a rich and flavorful sauce.
- Easy dinner and great leftovers. Not only does this make for an easy dinner, the leftovers are generous too! It’s great for meal prep and you can do a lot with the shredded chicken for another meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Five ingredients is all it takes to make Mississippi chicken! Make sure to scroll down to view the full recipe for exact measurements.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – this makes the dish even more flavorful and it doesn’t give you dried out chicken.
- Dry ranch seasoning mix – you’ll find this in the dressing at the grocery store.
- Dry au jus gravy mix – you’ll find this in the dressing section of your local grocery store. If they have a low-sodium option, opt for that!
- Unsalted butter – definitely use unsalted butter in this as you don’t want to add more salt than needed in this already high sodium dish.
- Pepperoncini – jarred is perfect and I even like to add a splash of the juice into the crockpot for more tangy flavor and a little more spice!
How To Make Mississippi Chicken
Why can’t spelling Mississippi be as easy as making this chicken recipe?
All you have to do is add everything into the insert of the slow cooker and cook on low!
Recipe Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
- Omit or reduce butter. Okay so this is a bit controversial. I’ve read threads in groups that think the butter is too much and makes the dish too oily. While that may be the case, I think that the butter adds a depth of richness to the dish, especially with the chicken. In my Mississippi roast recipe, I used 6 tablespoons. However, in this recipe I used a whole stick. That might be too much for you. I suggest you start with 4 tablespoons then adjust to taste after it’s done.
- Flip halfway through. This step is optional, especially if you aren’t home, but since there’s two pounds of chicken thighs, you’ll likely be stacking them on top of each other. It’s okay and they still cook all the way through regardless, but if you’re concerned, you can flip them halfway through. Move the bottom pieces to the top and the top to the bottom. You’ll also notice the seasoning is darker on the top pieces. Totally fine – it’s not burned. Just dip it in the liquid and it’s good as new.
- Adding additional vegetables. If you want to add vegetables to the slow cooker to cook along with the chicken, you can certainly do so. I would add it in when you flip the chicken or 2-3 hours into cooking. Potatoes, carrots, celery, whatever you like!
- Shredding the chicken. You can shred the chicken or you can leave it whole. You’ll likely find that the chicken falls apart anyway but you can either shred it into finer pieces or you can have larger tender pieces.
- Make it spicier. Pepperoncinis have a tang and spicy kick to them. If you want more spice, add more to the mixture and use the liquid from the jar.
- Using chicken breasts. I typically don’t like using chicken breasts in slow cooker meals because while it’s leaner and maybe more preferred than dark meat, it just doesn’t do well. Even if it’s cooking in liquid, it still seems to dry out.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Allow chicken to cool to room temperature then put it in an airtight container with a lid. It will be good in the refrigerator for up to five days. To reheat, place the chicken into a skillet and reheat on the stovetop or put the chicken in a bowl and reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
To freeze, place into a freezer-safe container or a 1 or 2 cup Souper Cube. To reheat, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes then place a cube or the mixture into a skillet and reheat on the stovetop until warmed through.
What to Serve with Mississippi Chicken
Mississippi chicken is a great protein option to serve alongside a variety of side dishes! Another great option is to make chicken sliders or sandwiches out of the shredded chicken.
- Corn on the Cob
- Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
- Garlic Roasted Green Beans
- Garlic Herb Parker House Rolls
- Bao Buns
Mississippi Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ounce (28 g) packet of dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1 ounce (28 g) packet of dry au jus gravy mix
- 4 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, see notes below
- ¼ cup (59 ml) water
- 6 pepperoncini, or more for a spicier kick
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of water into the insert of your slow cooker then place the chicken on top. It's okay if you stack them on top of each other.
- Sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning mix on top of the chicken, then sprinkle the dry au jus mix on top, then place butter on top of the chicken, and finally the pepperoncini around the chicken.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Shred, add back into the insert of the slow cooker and toss in the gravy/sauce, then serve!
This was delicious and had a nice, rich flavor. We ate them as sandwiches and my husband said they were a perfect football Sunday meal.