Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken
Slow cooker Mississippi chicken is a recipe that sounds too easy and too simple to taste amazing. But oh, will you be surprised. Made with just a few ingredients and very minimal prep (like, 5 minutes), you’ll have tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken by the time dinner rolls around. The combination of ranch seasoning, au jus gravy mix, and pepperoncini is savory, tangy, and surprisingly delicious. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or stuffed into hoagies for a melty sandwich. It’s the easiest dinner you’ll make all week.
It’s ridiculously easy. 🍗
I know I’ve mentioned my disdain for the term “dump and go” but as for the method? It’s a weeknight winner and I can’t deny that I love it. With just a few minutes prep, the slow cooker will do most of the work for this meal. It’s hearty, it’s flavorful, and it couldn’t be easier.
Traditionally, it’s also made with a stick of butter, but I’m not really sure why, so I left it out. I find chicken thighs have plenty of fat and the meat is still plenty tender and juicy without it, so it’s one of those times where I’ll remove something in the name of nutrition. (More rare as I prefer to add in, but if it doesn’t affect the flavor, edits are fair game.) It’s…
🕐 5 minutes prep: Toss everything in the slow cooker and walk away. No browning or sautéing required (phew!).
🌿 Rich & tangy: The combination of ranch, au jus, and pepperoncini creates an incredible sauce that’s perfect for spooning over everything.
🍗 Fall-apart tender chicken: After hours in the slow cooker, the chicken becomes so tender it shreds with just a fork.
🌶️ Perfect tang from pepperoncini: These mild peppers add brightness and a subtle kick without being spicy.
🍚 Incredibly versatile serving options: Serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or make it into sandwiches with a hoagie roll and white American cheese.
💰 Budget-friendly weeknight meal: Uses inexpensive chicken thighs and pantry staples.
👨👩👧👦 Crowd-pleaser: I live with a “selective eater” so I’ll never claim that’s something picky eater-approved (who knows!), but this is a favorite for (most of) us!
You’ll also want to try my other easy crockpot recipes next time: salsa chicken, chicken and potatoes, shredded beef, and chicken and gravy.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make this weeknight slow cooker chicken: boneless, skinless chicken thighs, a packet of ranch seasoning mix, a packet of au jus gravy mix, and pepperoncini peppers with some of their brine.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker and let it sit in the sauce for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the shredded meat to soak up all those incredible flavors. Use two forks to pull the chicken apart, then give everything a good stir to coat each piece.
- Cooking methods: I think cooking the chicken on Low is best so that it doesn’t get too hot and overcook, but all slow cookers are different, so use they method you find works best.
- Feeding kids without pressure: Serve the meal with a few sides you know your kids will eat. At our house it’s some milk, fruit, and bread with butter.
- Variations: Swap chicken for pork tenderloin or beef chuck roast (which is what the original recipe uses!). Both work beautifully with the same seasonings and cooking method.
Love quick and easy dinners? Browse all my weeknight dinner recipes organized by time and cooking method.
Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
Tender, tangy slow cooker Mississippi chicken with just 4 ingredients. Ranch, au jus, and pepperoncini create the ultimate dump-and-go dinner.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. chicken thighs (skinless, boneless)
- 6 oz. jar pepperoncini (with juice) (1 cup peppers and 1/4 cup brine)
- 1 oz. packet au jus gravy mix
- .4 oz. ranch dressing mix (2 Tbsp.)
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with gravy mix and ranch seasoning mix and stir to coat chicken with seasonings. Put pepperoncini over the chicken and pour brine around the edge of the slow cooker (not right over the chicken so as not to wash all of the seasoning off).
- Place cover on slow cooker and cook on High for 3-4 hours, or Low for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 185 degrees F. (I prefer cooking on Low!)
- Lightly chunk chicken into pieces with forks and serve with gravy over mashed potatoes or stuffed into hoagie rolls with melted white American cheese for sandwiches.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better the next day. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of chicken broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Ingredients: For the seasoning packets, look for ranch dressing mix (not dip mix) and au jus gravy mix in the gravy aisle. Both packets are essential for that signature Mississippi flavor.
- Tools: A 6-quart slow cooker works best for this recipe, giving the chicken plenty of room. If using a smaller 4-quart cooker, reduce the recipe by half.
- Serve with: This pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. Add a simple green salad or green beans for some veggies. For sandwiches, pile it onto toasted hoagie rolls with a slice of white American or provolone.
Serving Suggestions
You’ll need a carb and a veggie to round out this meal. Here are a few ideas:
- Carbs: Garlic bread, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, rice, or cauliflower rice.
- Veggies: Kale salad, air fryer broccoli, 5-minute frozen peas.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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