I adore this Mississippi Chicken recipe, yes I do. Talk about a real ringer. It may look a little boring in the slow cooker (I’ll admit that), but looks can be deceiving, my friends. Lucas saw it and was like … ummm where’s the BBQ sauce. I told him, “No, no. Just taste it and then tell me if you still want that jar of sauce.” As you might expect, he tried it, got real quiet, and acquiesced. “Whoa that’s super good. It doesn’t need anything.”
And scene. Yes, this Mississippi Chicken recipe of mine is the fastest, easiest route to a crowd-pleasing dinner that I know – even faster than Mississippi Pot Roast, actually, because the chicken cooks faster. Read on for a little more about it, or just jump on ahead.
If you like the looks of my super easy Mississippi Chicken Recipe, you might want to check out my Easy Buffalo Chicken Soup or this ultra quick Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup. Or, maybe you’re in the mood for another gem from the deep South? If so, my Etouffee is the tastiest thing ever. Same goes for this Shrimp Creole and these saucy Creole meatballs.
Why We Love this Mississippi Chicken Recipe
I’ve been making Mississippi Pot roast for ages and it’s a method + flavor combination that is just so solid, it only follows that we should apply it elsewhere. Enter our lovely chicken version. The addictingly delicious combination of Ranch dressing, banana peppers (a sleeper-clutch ingredient in many Southern classics), a packet of brown gravy mix, and butter works for more than just a big hunk o’ beef.
That’s right it’s chicken’s turn, okay Mississippi? Yes. I also think it would be amazing to do like a Mississippi Pork Butt but that’s a post for another day, I suppose. Anyway, I love my Mississippi Chicken recipe because I use BOTH light and dark meat, as opposed to most recipes for this stuff, which call for only the chicken breasts. Tis not the way, my friends.
That’s not going to yield the most delicious results, so it’s not the way we’re going to roll with our (best!) Mississippi Chicken recipe here. Nope. Trust me here – the pieces of chicken you reach for will make all the difference in the end.
How to serve This Mississippi Chicken Recipe
The short answers is … however you like. This recipe is cool because it yields a final product that is super versatile and really great for so many different applications. Enjoy it in SO many different ways.
- Make sandwiches out of it. Pile this succulent (yep) chicken up onto buns and top with crunchy lettuce, fresh tomatoes, more pickled banana peppers, and maybe some sliced onions. Then, serve them with little bowls of some of that reserved juice in the slow cooker for dunking. Think French Dip or Italian Beef vibes here …
- Pile it atop some fluffy mashed potatoes or creamy grits, spoon some of the drippings over top, and garnish with pickled banana peppers and some chopped scallions. So cozy and great.
- Tuck it inside tacos or quesadillas, or atop some crispy tostadas or inside some tiny taquitos.
Mississippi Chicken Recipe Ingredient Notes
The Chicken
We’re going to use a combination of both boneless, skinless thighs and breasts in this Mississippi Chicken Recipe of mine. This gives us the best overall depth of flavor in the end, I think and its’ just really delicious. I do the same thing in my Buffalo Chicken Soup, for the exact same reason. The breasts shred beautifully and add bulk and great texture to things. And the thighs just stay nice and juicy and they just taste even better.
The Ranch
A single packet of the dressing mix (the powdered kind) will lend tremendous flavor to this pot of tasty chicken. It’s kind of the secret to things, really.
The Gravy
We’re doing a similar move as above with the Ranch here, and using a single packet of “au jus” pr “brown gravy” mix. Not a product that sees much action in my kitchen honestly, this stuff does really make quick and easy work of developing tremendous flavor in this pot of chicken.
The Butter
The butter is pretty clutch here, as we need that creamy fat to bring the saucy liquid together.
The Peppers
I’m from Kentucky, so I know a thing or two about the greatness of a pickled banana pepper (it’s a thing there). Anyway, it’s my favorite part of this Mississippi chicken recipe, as these pickled peppers offer a necessary acidity and tang to the scene. I also use some to top the finished product.
Mississippi Chicken
The fastest, tastiest, easiest way to wield a chicken you’ll ever try. This recipe almost feels fake it goes so fast, but trust the process and you’ll find yourself in front of one of the tastiest pots of chicken around. Whether you enjoy this chicken on a sandwich, in a taco or quesadilla, or piled atop some fluffy mashed potatoes – this one is such a keeper, a truly great back-pocket dinnertime superstar.
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 packet Ranch dressing mix (such as Hidden Valley)
- 1 packet au jus or “brown” gravy mix
- 3/4 cup pickled banana pepper rings, plus more for topping
- 4 tablespoons butter
Serving Suggestions: Pile the shredded, saucy chicken atop some mashed potatoes or grits, topped with some of the cooking juices and some pickled banana peppers + scallions. Or, go the sandwich route (as pictured), making sure to serve them with some drippings on the side for dunking.
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in the order listed in your slow cooker, place the lid on top, and cook on high for four hours or low for about 6 – or, just until the chicken is tender and easily shreddable.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, topped with some pickled banana pepper rings and chopped scallions. Or, use the shredded chicken in a sandwich, as part of tacos or quesadillas. Whatever you like! It’s very versatile stuff.
