Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken Recipe

Whether you enjoy spending time creating the perfect dinner menu or not, everyone can appreciate a slow-cooker meal. Toss in the ingredients, cover the pot, and let the appliance work its magic while you focus on something else. Meat is a great candidate for a slow cooker since it cooks low and slow for hours, producing a tender texture rich with savory flavors from hours of cooking. Mashed recipe developer Feta Topalu shares this slow cooker Mississippi chicken recipe that's sure to satisfy you and your dining companions. 

She remarks, "This is the perfect set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal and that's my favorite thing about slow cooker meals." True to this style of cooking, she notes, "This one takes minimal effort and the results are a well-seasoned and moist chicken dinner." Topalu explains, "Mississippi chicken is a spin on the popular dish, Mississippi pot roast. It has the same flavors except it's made with chicken breast instead of a chuck roast." She goes on to share the lore surrounding the original recipe's invention in Mississippi: "[Robin Chapman] created this famous dish in the 90s by adapting her aunt's pot roast recipe to make it more appealing for her kids." Kids or no kids, this dish is an all-around winner.

For this recipe, you'll need boneless and skinless chicken breasts to make the shredding process extra easy. Next, pick up a packet of ranch dressing mix and an au jus gravy mix. You'll also need pepperoncini peppers and juice from the jar. Topalu describes, "Pepperoncini peppers are typically mild in heat levels, but sometimes you can find a jar of the spicy ones. They have more of a sweet, tangy, and mild vinegary taste." Finally, you'll need unsalted butter to thicken the flavorful sauce.

Get your slow cooker ready and add the chicken breasts in first. Empty the contents of the ranch dressing mix and au jus gravy mix over the meat. Then, add the pepperoncini peppers and sliced butter. Finally, pour the pepperoncini juice over the chicken.

Close the slow cooker lid and cook the chicken on low heat for 6 to 7 hours — or if you're short on time, on high for 4 to 5 hours. If you love the idea of this Mississippi chicken but don't have the appropriate equipment, Topalu offers alternatives. "This dish can be made in a pot over the stove or in the oven if a slow cooker is not available. For the oven, bake at 425 F for 25 to 30 minutes. For [the] stove top, cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes," though she points out that "you may need to add more liquid if it's evaporating quickly before cooking time is done." No matter the method, check the chicken's internal temperature to determine if it's ready; the meat should be at 165 F.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the lid and use two forks to shred the chicken breasts. Topalu highlights, "Shredded chicken can be very versatile," and offers various suggestions on how to serve it. "It can be placed in a grain bowl with a spicy dressing or tucked into a burrito or quesadilla." Alternatively, enjoy a classic meat and potatoes meal and follow Topalu's cue: "I recommend serving this Mississippi chicken over creamy mashed potatoes with a side of roasted or steamed green beans."

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for a maximum of 4 days.