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A wooden plate with Spanish rice, shredded Mississippi chicken with peppers, and peppers and onions, placed on a stone surface with utensils, garlic, and spices nearby.
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Crockpot Mississippi Chicken (Meal Prep + Freezer-Friendly)

Slow cooker chicken swimming in butter and pepperoncini brine, tangy enough that you will stand at the counter eating it out of the pot. Six cubes, and every one reheats like the afternoon you made it.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 308kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Equipment

Ingredients

Mississippi Chicken

  • 2½ pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless and trimmed of excess fat
  • ½ cup pepperoncini brine
  • 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
  • 1 packet au jus mix
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
  • ½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers

Instructions

Load the Slow Cooker

  • Line a 6-quart slow cooker with a liner or coat with nonstick spray. Add the chicken thighs, pour the pepperoncini brine over the top, then sprinkle the ranch mix and au jus mix evenly over the chicken. Add the butter pieces and sliced pepperoncini peppers.

Cook

  • Cover and cook on low for 3½ to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender enough to shred with two forks with almost no resistance.

Shred and Emulsify

  • Remove the chicken to a large plate or sheet pan and shred it. Before adding it back in, whisk the sauce vigorously to emulsify the butter into the liquid. This is the step that determines whether the sauce holds together frozen or splits into grease and brine.

Cool

  • Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce. Turn off the slow cooker and let it cool with the lid off, stirring once or twice so the sauce stays evenly distributed. Chill in the refrigerator until cold.

Serve Fresh or Freeze

  • If you're eating tonight, stop here. Serve it hot over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, or on a bun. Everything from this point on is for the freezer.

Portion

  • Divide the chicken into 6 portions. Fill each 1-cup silicone mold almost to the top, leaving a little room for expansion. Press the chicken down lightly so each portion freezes into a compact cube with sauce throughout. Don't pack warm chicken into the molds.

Freeze

  • Freeze the filled molds for at least 6 hours, or until solid.

Bag and Label

  • Pop the frozen portions out of the molds and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Press out as much air as possible before sealing. Label with the recipe name, portion size, and date.
    Freeze for up to 3 months.
    For vacuum sealing, freeze the portions solid first, then vacuum seal the frozen cubes. Don't vacuum seal warm, soft, or saucy chicken, since the liquid can get pulled into the machine.

Reheat From Frozen

  • Place 1 frozen portion in a microwave-safe bowl, cover loosely.
  • Microwave on high 2 minutes, stir, then 1 to 2 minutes more until hot all the way through. Rest 1 minute, stir again before serving.

Reheat From Thawed

  • Thaw 1 portion overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Reheat in the Microwave: cover loosely, microwave on high 1½ to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, adding a splash of water or pepperoncini brine if dry.
  • Reheat on the Stovetop: add to a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, cover, and heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce tightens.

To Reheat Multiple Portions

  • Place 2 to 4 frozen portions in a covered baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot all the way through, stirring halfway once softened. Uncover the last 5 minutes only if there's too much liquid in the dish.
    • This recipe is part of the GC Freezer Meals system. Pair it with Spanish rice and black beans for a complete dinner from frozen in under 5 minutes. See the full Batch guide →

Notes

  • Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs before cooking so the sauce doesn't turn greasy once thawed.
  • No pepperoncini brine? Banana pepper brine works as a substitute, with a milder flavor.
  • To cook on high: 2 to 2½ hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
  • Keep the sauce loose before freezing. It thickens as it chills and freezes.
  • Add fresh pepperoncini, pickles, parsley, green onion, provolone, or mozzarella after reheating, not before freezing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1093mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 314IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2mg