Mississippi Chicken

It’s so easy and so flavorful.

By
Liz Mervosh
Liz Mervosh
Liz Mervosh
Elizabeth "Liz" Mervosh is a recipe tester and developer for the Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama and tests and develops recipes for brands including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, Health, and Simply Recipes.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel has over 10 years of experience developing recipes and writing about food. She is the author of 4 cookbooks, including the bestselling "The Instant Pot Electric Cookbook."
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated February 11, 2025
Angled view of a blue platter and a serving spoon with shredded chicken and pepperoncini

Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Mississippi chicken is one of my favorites. Consisting of tender chicken breasts, pepperoncini, and ranch dressing seasoning, it could not be easier to make in the slow cooker or the oven. It's deliciously salty, savory, and briny, perfect for spooning over rice or noodles for a satisfying dinner.

For my take on the classic dish, I call for mayonnaise instead of butter for an extra dose of savory creaminess. I used a stock base rather than chicken gravy mix because you’ll never find me without a jar of stock base in the fridge; it amps up the chicken flavor.

Why do they call it Mississippi Chicken? This dish uses the same flavors as Mississippi Pot Roast, a slow-cooked recipe made with jarred pepperoncini and ranch seasoning. Some say that Mississippi Pot Roast was invented by someone hailing from Mississippi, but more details about the origins of the name are unknown!

Make Mississippi Chicken in the Oven

Instead of slow cooking, you can make Mississippi chicken in the oven:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Stir together the ranch dressing mix, pepperoncini, pickling liquid, stock base, and black pepper in a medium Dutch oven. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the ranch mixture, then arrange the chicken in an even layer.
  3. Cover with the lid and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken with tongs and place it on a cutting board; coarsely shred the chicken using two forks. Return the chicken to the liquid, add the mayonnaise, and stir to combine.

Simple Swaps for Mississippi Chicken

Make Mississippi chicken using boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts and cook until the internal temperature reaches at least 170°F. If you don’t have chicken stock base, you can swap for two teaspoons of chicken bouillon granules.

Overhead view of a blue platter and a serving spoon with shredded chicken and pepperoncini

Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Mississippi Chicken

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 90 mins
Total Time 105 mins
Servings 6 servings
Yield 6 cups
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 (1-ounce) envelope ranch dressing mix

  • 8 pickled pepperoncini, plus 1/2 cup pickling liquid (from a 16-ounce jar)

  • 2 teaspoons jarred chicken stock base (such as Better Than Bouillon)

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Method

  1. Prepare the ranch mixture:

    Stir the ranch dressing mix, pepperoncini, pickling liquid, stock base, and black pepper together in a 6-quart slow cooker until combined.

  2. Cook the chicken:

    Add the chicken in an even layer. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, on high for 1 1/2 hours or on low for 2 1/2 hours. Turn off the slow cooker.

  3. Shred the chicken and combine with mayonnaise:

    Remove the chicken from the slow cooker with tongs and place it on a cutting board. Coarsely shred the chicken using 2 forks. Return the chicken to the liquid in the slow cooker, add the mayonnaise, and stir to combine.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
398 Calories
14g Fat
5g Carbs
60g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 398
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 165mg 55%
Sodium 709mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 60g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 64mg 5%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 606mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.