This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Crockpot Mississippi Chicken is a wonderful slow cooker chicken dinner that is incredibly flavorful and super easy to make! The chicken cooks until tender and juicy in a rich, buttery, tangy sauce, then gets shredded right into all of those savory cooking juices.

crockpot mississippi chicken on a bun with provolone cheese

This Mississippi Chicken is one of my family’s all-time favorite dinner recipes!

Serve the shredded chicken over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. We love to pile it onto rolls for delicious sandwiches.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken
Crockpot Mississippi Chicken Ingredients
Variations & Substitutions
How to Make Crockpot Mississippi Chicken
Tips for the Best Mississippi Chicken
What to Serve with Mississippi Chicken
Storage & Reheating
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Crockpot Mississippi Chicken Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken

It takes just a few minutes to put together.
The chicken turns out tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
Pepperoncini peppers add a delicious tangy flavor without making the chicken overly spicy.
Everything cooks together in the slow cooker.
You can serve it several different ways.
Leftovers reheat well for easy lunches or dinners.

Crockpot Mississippi Chicken Ingredients

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this flavorful slow cooker Mississippi chicken.

Chicken Thighs, Ranch Dressing Mix, Au Jus Mix, Yellow Onion, Garlic, Pepperoncini Peppers and Juice, Unsalted Butter

Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken thighs are my favorite for this recipe because they stay tender and juicy during slow cooking.

You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead, but they usually cook faster, so check them earlier to keep them from drying out.

Pepperoncini Peppers: Pepperoncinis give Mississippi chicken its signature tangy flavor and a little zip. They aren’t especially hot, but you can use mild banana peppers if you prefer.

Be sure to add some of the pepperoncini juice, too. It adds lots of flavor to the cooking liquid.

Variations & Substitutions

Chicken Breasts: Substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts for the thighs. Reduce the cooking time and cook just until they reach 165°F.
Brown Gravy Mix: Use a 1-ounce packet of brown gravy mix instead of au jus mix.
Banana Peppers: Mild banana peppers can be substituted for pepperoncini peppers.
More Peppers: Add extra pepperoncini peppers if you like a stronger tangy pepper flavor.
Less Butter: You can reduce the butter if desired. I often use half the amount, though the butter is part of the classic Mississippi-style flavor.

How to Make Crockpot Mississippi Chicken

This easy Mississippi chicken recipe takes just a few minutes to put together, making it a great option for busy days.

chicken, onion and seasonings added to crockpot, pouring pepperoncini juice onto chicken

Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix and au jus mix evenly over the chicken.
Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, pepperoncini peppers, and pepperoncini juice.

butter added to chicken, 2 forks shredding chicken in slow cooker

Slice the butter and arrange it over the top.
Cover and cook on Low for 4–6 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and has reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir the shredded chicken into the flavorful cooking juices before serving.

For Chicken Breasts: Chicken breasts cook faster than thighs. Cook on Low for about 3–4 hours or High for about 1½–3 hours, checking them early. Remove them once they reach 165°F to help prevent them from drying out.

Tips for the Best Mississippi Chicken

Boneless chicken thighs are especially forgiving in the slow cooker and stay nice and juicy.
Use unsalted butter since the ranch and au jus mixes already contain salt.
Don’t drain off the cooking liquid after shredding the chicken. That’s where the flavor is.
Slow cookers can vary quite a bit, so use the cooking times as a guide and check the chicken for doneness.

Crockpot Mississippi Chicken with pepperoncini peppers and onions in slow cooker.

What to Serve with Mississippi Chicken

This shredded chicken is delicious served:

Over mashed potatoes
Over white or brown rice
With egg noodles
On sandwich rolls
With roasted or steamed vegetables
With a simple green salad

For sandwiches, spoon a little of the flavorful cooking liquid over the shredded chicken before adding it to the roll. You can also serve it French Dip-style, with some of the juices on the side for dipping! 🥪

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftover Mississippi chicken with some of its cooking liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Gently heat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a spoonful or two of the reserved cooking liquid to keep the chicken moist.
Freezing: The shredded chicken can also be frozen in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

pink rectangle with words follow me on Pinterest

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
Crockpot Taco Ranch Chicken Spaghetti
Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken
Best Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

If you make this Crockpot Mississippi Chicken recipe, let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below! 😊

Crockpot Mississippi Chicken

By Sandy Clifton

Crockpot Mississippi Chicken is tender, flavorful shredded chicken slow cooked with ranch seasoning, au jus, pepperoncini peppers, onion, garlic, and butter. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles, or use it to make sandwiches.

Prep: 10

Cook: 6

Total: 6 10

Servings:

Save Recipe Print Recipe

Equipment

4 to 7-quart Slow Cooker

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (or Chicken Breasts)
▢ 1 ounce packet Ranch Dressing Mix
▢ 1 ounce packet Au Jus Mix (or Brown Gravy Mix)
▢ 1 medium Yellow Onion sliced
▢ 2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
▢ 8 ounces Pepperoncini Peppers with Juice (or mild Banana Peppers)
▢ ½ cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick)

Instructions

Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the Ranch Dressing Mix and Au Jus Mix evenly over the chicken.
Add the sliced Onion, Minced Garlic, Pepperoncini Peppers, and pepperoncini juice.
Slice the Butter and arrange it over the top.

Cook

Cover and cook on Low for 4–6 hours or High for 3–4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Shred the chicken with two forks, then stir it into the cooking liquid.

Serve

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles, or use the shredded chicken and some of the flavorful broth to make sandwiches.

Notes

Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts generally cook faster than chicken thighs. Cook on Low for about 3–4 hours or High for about 1½–3 hours, checking for doneness earlier to avoid overcooking.
Pepperoncini Peppers: Use mild banana peppers instead if you prefer a milder pepper flavor.
Cooking Liquid: Keep the shredded chicken in the cooking liquid after cooking. It helps keep the chicken moist and adds most of the flavor.
Butter: You can use half the amount and still have great results if you want less.