Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 3 lbs Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless); 1/2 cup Chicken Broth; 1/2 cup Pepperoncini Juice; 1 ounce Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix; 1 ounce Au Jus Gravy Mix; 10 Whole Pepperoncinis; 4 tablespoons Butter (cut into pieces)

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If you love the pot roast version, then you’ll love this weeknight Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken that’s bursting with juicy tangy flavor. This dinner is made in under 15 minutes and one the whole family will enjoy, especially if served over mashed potatoes.

Mississippi chicken topped with pepperoncini peppers in a bowl.

Why this Recipe Works

Weeknights can be hectic and a delicious meal everyone will enjoy is a means of survival. This Instant Pot recipe is made in 8 minutes with only 5 minutes of prep. Better yet, there are only 7 ingredients making it a budget-friendly meal as well.

You can also double Mississippi chicken so there’s plenty for leftovers. If your family likes variety and groans at the thought of leftovers, this meal is freezer-friendly so you can easily thaw it for another week.

The only thing better than a quick weeknight meal everyone loves is a healthy weeknight meal everyone loves. This simple chicken is low carb and keto-friendly and can also be enjoyed with a side salad instead of mashed potatoes or bread.

If you love this recipe then you’ll also love Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast.

Ingredients Needed

MIssissippi chicken ingredients laid out on a table.

Chicken: you’ll need boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe.
Au Jus Gravy Mix: Using Au Jus Gravy Mix works best to make a thicker gravy for this recipe rather than a basic gravy mix, however, sometimes it can be hard to find and it does have a good bit of sodium in it. You can make you’re own by combining 4 tsps onion powder, 4 tsps dried parsley, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 4 tablespoons cornstarch.
Pepperoncini Peppers: can’t find the pepperoncini peppers or just don’t like them? You can use banana peppers instead.
Pepperoncini Juice: this juice has a very slight kick to it and if you don’t like even a hint of spice I suggest leaving it out altogether.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Arrange the chicken. Place the chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour the chicken broth, and pepperoncini juice on top.
Add the seasoning. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning mix and Au Jus gravy mix on top and spread the pepperoncini peppers around the chicken. Top with the cut butter.

Instant Pot Mississippi chicken process steps.

Set the timer. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the vent to SEALING position. Set to MANUAL and adjust the time to 8 minutes.
Release the steam. Allow a natural release of the steam for 5 minutes before turning the vent to the venting position.
Shred the chicken. Using two forks shred the chicken and stir into the gravy mixture.

Serving Ideas

As with Mississippi pot roast, this recipe is also delicious served over buttery and fluffy mashed potatoes. There’s more than one way to serve it though and some of my favorite options are below.

Sandwich Style. Serve it on toasted bread with some mayonnaise and melted provolone cheese for a delicious sandwich.
Over mashed potatoes. This classic options is a classic for a reason. When the gravy mixed with the mashed potatoes it’s pure bliss.
Spoon it over egg noodles. To make this into a pasta-style dish use egg noodles.
Serve it with rice. This is a simple serving option that is also quick and just as tasty.
Low Carb. To keep this recipe low card you can serve it over mashed cauliflower and also get in some extra vegetables.

Mississippi chicken over rice in a pottery bowl.

Cooking Methods

This Mississippi Chicken isn’t just limited to the Instant Pot and can also be made in a slow cooker or baked in the oven. Find the directions below.

Slow Cooker Method

Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and top with chicken broth, pepperoncini juice, ranch seasoning mix, au jus gravy mix.
Arrange the pepperoncinis around the chicken and layer the cut butter on top.
Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
Shred the chicken using two forks.

Oven Baked Method

For this version, you will omit the chicken broth and pepperoncini juice and use 1/2 cup of butter sliced.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Arrange the chicken in the dish and sprinkle the ranch seasoning mix and au just gravy mix on top.
Place the pepperoncini peppers around the chicken and layer the butter over the chicken breasts.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Expert Tips:

To thicken the gravy scoop 1/4 cup of the juices at the bottom into a small bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to create a slurry. Return the mixture to the Instant Pot and stir in.
Do not make the ranch dressing or au jus gravy. The packets will be sprinkled directly on top of the chicken.
Sprinkle some mozzarella or provolone cheese on top (especially if you’re using the oven-baked method) for some added flavor.
For even more flavor a drop of sour cream on top of the chicken before you serve it.

FAQs

Can I use frozen chicken breasts?

Yes. If you plan on using frozen chicken breasts set the cooking time to 10 minutes instead of 8 minutes.

Can I omit or substitute the butter?

Yes, you can omit the butter or substitute it for shortening or a non-dairy version of butter.

Can I use brown gravy instead of au jus?

Yes, you can, however, the gravy will not be as thick as it would using au jus mix.

If you made any of this Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!