This Mississippi Hen is tender, juicy, and coated in a savory, buttery sauce with loads of tangy pepperoncini taste. This five-ingredient crockpot Mississippi hen recipe takes about 10 minutes to prep, has no chopping, and prices solely $1.74 per serving! Add every little thing to your sluggish cooker with no further liquid, then cook dinner on LOW for six hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours in the event you’re in a pinch!). It’s a straightforward “set it and neglect about it” household dinner, and I can stretch the leftovers into all kinds of meals.
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Crock pot Mississippi Hen Recipe
I’m a giant fan of sluggish cookers! They’re nice for meal prep, feeding a small military, and stretching leftovers, so that you higher imagine I’ve put this Mississippi hen into my common rotation. It’s impressed by the basic Mississippi pot roast, however made even MORE budget-friendly by swapping the meat for hen!
For my recipe, I organize hen breasts in a single layer in my sluggish cooker, sprinkle them with ranch seasoning and au jus gravy combine, then add a stick of unsalted butter and a few tangy pepperoncini peppers. I like to make use of unsalted butter right here as a result of each seasoning packets already include loads of sodium. And guess what? There’s no searing, stirring, water, or inventory wanted. The hen releases liquid because it cooks, which mixes with the melted butter and seasonings to make a wealthy, savory sauce. The hen shreds simply proper within the crockpot, and cleanup couldn’t be easier! I prefer to pile this juicy hen excessive on sandwiches, or spoon it over tortilla chips with loads of cheese (they’re the greatest nachos I’ve ever had!)
- Prepare the hen in a single even layer. Place 3 lbs. hen breasts in a single layer in a 6-quart sluggish cooker moderately than stacking them. This helps them cook dinner extra evenly. In case your hen breasts are smaller otherwise you’re utilizing a different-sized sluggish cooker, begin checking them earlier (the interior temperature ought to attain 165°F). In case your hen is frozen, thaw it fully within the fridge earlier than including it to the sluggish cooker.
- There’s no want so as to add further liquid! I let the hen create its personal broth because it cooks, which mixes with the melted butter and seasoning packets to make the savory sauce. Including water or inventory would dilute all that taste!
- Modify the spice degree. Jarred pepperoncini are gentle, tangy pickled peppers normally discovered close to the pickles and olives on the grocery retailer. To some, pepperoncini peppers may be spicy. In the event you’re frightened in regards to the spice degree, you’ll be able to cut back the variety of peppers. (Or add extra in the event you love pepperoncini peppers like me!)
- Hold the lid closed. There’s no have to stir or flip this Mississippi hen because it cooks. Opening the sluggish cooker releases warmth and might lengthen the cooking time, so let it do its factor!
- Examine the temperature and texture. Earlier than shredding, I verify that the thickest half has reached 165°F and that the hen separates simply with two forks. Hen measurement and sluggish cookers can differ, so if it isn’t prepared after 6 hours on LOW (or HIGH for 3-4 hours), cook dinner it for an additional 20 minutes earlier than checking once more.
- Add greens to make it a whole meal. You possibly can add potatoes, carrots, or onions to the sluggish cooker with the hen. Utilizing our pot roast recipe as a information, strive 2 massive carrots peeled and lower into massive chunks, 1 massive yellow onion peeled and quartered, or 1-1½ lbs. of mini potatoes (saved complete). Hold the hen in a single layer, then organize the greens round and over it.
Lower your expenses by utilizing 3 lbs. of boneless, skinless hen thighs in the event that they’re cheaper than breasts. They work simply as nicely, particularly in the event you choose darkish meat or have already got some readily available! Prepare the thighs evenly within the sluggish cooker and cook dinner till they attain at the very least 165°F and shred simply. Hen thighs launch extra fats than breasts, so I normally trim massive items of seen fats first and spoon off any extra from the cooking liquid earlier than shredding.
Additionally, watch your pennies and go for store-brand seasoning packets! Retailer-brand ranch and au jus seasoning work simply in addition to the name-brand choices, so avoid wasting cash and seize whichever is cheaper. You too can use our do-it-yourself ranch seasoning combine if you have already got the substances in your pantry.
And on that word, in the event you can’t discover au jus combine or common brown gravy combine is cheaper at your retailer, use a packet of that as an alternative! Jess makes use of a brown gravy combine in her Mississippi pot roast, and it nonetheless provides loads of savory taste!
Mississippi Hen
Value $10.44 recipe / $1.74 serving
This simple Mississippi Hen is made within the sluggish cooker with 5 substances for tender, juicy shredded hen in a tangy, buttery, savory sauce.
Collect and put together all substances.
Place the hen breasts in an excellent layer on the underside of the sluggish cooker.
Sprinkle the au jus gravy combine and ranch seasoning on prime of the hen breasts.
Place the stick of butter in the midst of the sluggish cooker.
Evenly prime with pepperoncini peppers.
Cook dinner on LOW for six hours. Or in the event you’re in a pinch, you’ll be able to cook dinner it on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
After 6 hours (or 3-4 if cooking on excessive), utilizing two forks, shred the hen, then get pleasure from.
See how we calculate recipe prices right here.
**I like to recommend utilizing unsalted butter, so this dish isn’t too salty. You possibly can at all times add extra salt after it’s cooked, if wanted.
Salt ranges can differ: Seasoning packet manufacturers differ in sodium, so verify the labels and select lower-sodium choices if wanted. Persist with unsalted butter, then style the completed hen earlier than including any further salt.
Serving: 1serving (~1 cup)Energy: 420kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 5g (2%)Protein: 49g (98%)Fats: 21g (32%)Sodium: 1281mg (56%)Fiber: 0.5g (2%)
the way to make Mississippi Hen Step-by-Step Images
Collect all your substances.
Season the hen: Place 3 lbs. of hen breasts in an excellent layer throughout the underside of a 6-quart sluggish cooker with as little overlap as potential. This helps the thick breasts cook dinner at an analogous fee. Evenly sprinkle the hen with a 1-oz. packet of au jus gravy combine.
Now sprinkle 1-oz. packet of ranch seasoning evenly over the hen, ensuring there aren’t any massive piles of both seasoning. The floor will look dry at this stage, however that’s anticipated. There’s no want so as to add water or inventory as a result of the hen will launch loads of liquid because it cooks.
Add the butter and peppers: Place 1 stick of unsalted butter (½ cup or 8 Tbsp) within the heart of the hen. Prepare 8 pepperoncini peppers evenly across the sluggish cooker.
Cook dinner the hen: Cowl and cook dinner on LOW for six hours, holding the lid closed so the sluggish cooker doesn’t lose warmth. In the event you’re quick on time, cook dinner it on HIGH for 3-4 hours and start checking it on the 3-hour mark. When prepared, the butter might be fully melted, the pepperoncini will look softened, and the hen might be surrounded by loads of savory cooking liquid. Examine that the thickest a part of every breast has reached at the very least 165°F.
If the hen hasn’t reached 165°F, exchange the lid and cook dinner for an additional 20 minutes earlier than checking once more.
Shred and serve: Use two forks to shred the hen immediately within the sluggish cooker. It ought to separate simply with out a lot resistance. Stir the shredded hen into the buttery cooking liquid till it’s evenly coated.
Style your Mississippi hen earlier than including any salt as a result of the seasoning packets are already nicely seasoned. Serve sizzling and revel in!
Serving Strategies
I really like serving Mississippi hen straight from the sluggish cooker over mashed potatoes with steamed frozen peas on the aspect. Add a pepper or two from the sluggish cooker, then spoon loads of that savory sauce over the hen and potatoes. It’s scrumptious as-is, however a dollop of bitter cream on every serving makes it creamy and helps mellow the warmth from the peppers. You too can stir some softened cream cheese into the new sauce till clean, or end every plate with crumbled cooked bacon for smoky, salty taste and slightly crunch.
For one thing totally different, spoon the hen and loads of sauce over seasoned rice so the rice can absorb all these buttery juices. It additionally makes a scrumptious slider filling piled onto break up Hawaiian rolls, the place the comfortable, barely candy bread pairs completely with the tangy hen. Or scatter the shredded hen over our black bean nachos with the beans and cheese, utilizing simply sufficient sauce so as to add taste with out making the chips soggy (these are so, so good!). And for dessert? It must be a slice of Mississippi mud pie, after all!
This Mississippi hen is nice for meal prep as a result of it makes six beneficiant servings (about 1 cup every). I portion the leftovers into break up meal prep containers, as proven within the photograph under, and normally pair the hen with one thing contemporary, like a crisp inexperienced salad made with no matter greens I’ve readily available or what’s in season. The separate compartments assist the salad leaves keep crisp. Hold every little thing refrigerated and use it inside 3-4 days.
I additionally love this hen in sandwiches and wraps, however I retailer the bread individually till serving so it doesn’t flip soggy. A baked potato topped with this hen and served with coleslaw is one other scrumptious possibility! I’d hold the coleslaw separate so I can reheat the potato and hen collectively.
Storage & Reheating
After the leftovers have cooled, you’ll be able to retailer them in an hermetic container in your fridge for as much as 3-4 days. Retailer the hen with among the cooking sauce to assist hold it moist.
Reheating
Reheat particular person parts within the microwave, coated, briefly intervals, stirring between every one till the hen is heated evenly. You too can heat it in a coated saucepan over low warmth, stirring often. Add a small splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened, and warmth the hen to 165°F.
Freezing
Freeze the cooled Mississippi hen with a few of its sauce in meal-sized freezer-safe containers or baggage for as much as 3 months. Press out as a lot air as potential to assist stop freezer burn. Thaw it within the fridge in a single day, then reheat it utilizing one of many strategies above.
Attempt These Crockpot Shredded Hen Recipes:
- Our Pulled Hen has a easy, versatile seasoning, making it excellent for meal prep, hen salad, tacos, pasta, and extra!
- After I’m craving Tex-Mex flavors, this no-chop Crock Pot Salsa Hen offers me a saucy filling for tacos, burritos, nachos, and bowls.
- This Gradual Cooker Buffalo Hen makes use of comparable substances to my recipe right here, with hen breasts, ranch seasoning, and butter, however mixes in tangy sizzling sauce for a buffalo end. SO GOOD.
- Our Gradual Cooker BBQ Hen is coated in smoky seasonings and loads of tangy BBQ sauce, then shredded for sandwiches, nachos, baked potatoes, or pizza.
