Crockpot Mississippi Chicken Sandwiches (Printable Version)

Slow-cooked shredded chicken seasoned with ranch and pepperoncini, served with crunchy dill pickles on soft buns.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Seasoning & Flavor

04 - 1 oz packet ranch seasoning mix
05 - 1 oz packet au jus gravy mix
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
07 - 6 to 8 whole pepperoncini peppers plus 2 tablespoons brine
08 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

→ Sandwich Assembly

09 - 6 soft sandwich buns (brioche or hamburger style)
10 - 1 cup sliced dill pickles

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Place chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
02 - Sprinkle the ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix evenly over the chicken.
03 - Add pepperoncini peppers and drizzle 2 tablespoons of their brine over the top.
04 - Pour in chicken broth around the sides without directly saturating the seasoning. Dot the chicken with pieces of butter.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until chicken is very tender and shreds easily.
06 - Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the juices and stir to combine.
07 - Pile warm shredded Mississippi chicken onto buns. Top generously with sliced dill pickles and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, so you're really just throwing things in and walking away.
  • Those tangy pepperoncini peppers make it taste way more interesting than plain shredded chicken, and everyone asks what your secret ingredient is.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you spent all day cooking, which honestly feels like magic.
02 -
  • Don't drain the liquid from the slow cooker once the chicken is done—that's liquid gold, and it's what keeps the chicken from drying out and what gives you that signature Mississippi bite when everything mingles together.
  • If your seasoning packets contain salt (most do), you need very little additional salt on the raw chicken, or you'll end up with something that tastes more like a salt lick than a sandwich.
03 -
  • If you're cooking on high and checking it early, don't lift the lid more than once—every time you do, you're letting heat escape and adding time to the cook.
  • Thighs really are better than breasts here because they stay moist even if you accidentally overcook it, which is hard to do in a slow cooker but theoretically possible.
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