Easy Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken

This delicious and easy Instant Pot Mississippi chicken recipe is made with the classic combination of au jus gravy, ranch dressing seasoning and pepperoncini peppers to get those perfect pot roast flavors: savory, a touch tangy pot with just the right amount of heat.

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INSTANT POT MISSISSIPPI CHICKEN OVERVIEW

You might be well familiar with the Mississippi pot roast, which is usually made with chuck beef but in this recipe, we are using chicken instead of red meat. This dish showcases how the rich Mississippi roast gravy pairs just as well with white poultry meat.

Chicken breasts are cooked in the sauce made with au just gravy mix, ranch dressing seasoning, lots of butter and pepperoncini peppers. This might sound like a strange combination of ingredients but it works and is absolutely delicious with lots of savory, umami flavors and a touch of acidity (or tanginess) from the peppers to cut through the richness of meat and butter.

Chicken is succulent and tender, shredded after cooking and drenched in the thickened gravy to absorb as much flavor as possible.

This chicken version of the Mississippi pot roast will become a family favorite!!!

• Sides that go well with meat and gravy sauce: mashed potatoes, roast potatoes or other root vegetables, rice, pasta or noodles, quinoa, couscous and so on.
• In a sandwich or bread roll: For ultimate comfort food, serve pieces of shredded chicken and dripping gravy sandwiched between soft bread slices or bun halves or in a baguette.
• With other baked goodies that can soak up the gravy: cornbread, zucchini bread, focaccia, garlic bread or garlic cheese bread.
• Vegetable sides: green salad with lemon vinaigrette, steamed or grilled broccoli or Brussels sprouts, green beans, coleslaw, sauteed cabbage and so on.

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INGREDIENTS FOR MISSISSIPPI CHICKEN

• Chicken – we are using chicken breasts, cut into 2-3 pieces; you can also use chicken thighs here. Sliced pork or turkey would also work well with the Mississippi gravy.
• Au jus gravy seasoning – you will need a packet of this dry seasoning, about 1 ounce (2-3 tablespoons). Brown gravy or dry onion soup mix can be used in place of au jus gravy.
• Ranch dressing seasoning mix – again, this is the dry packet seasoning mix, not the actual liquid dressing! You can use homemade ranch seasoning mix (try this recipe) or just add a few herbs and spices that you have. You will need about 1 oz (2-3 tablespoons).
• Pepperoncini peppers – these add a lot of flavor and a little tang to the sauce, which helps to cut through the richness of the pot roast. Sliced banana peppers can also be used. Both come in a jar, sometimes sliced but often whole. They add a little bit of heat but the dish is not too spicy!
• Butter – and lots of it! It adds wonderful flavor and richness to the sauce. Some recipes call for salted and others for unsalted, it’s up to you. It’s safer to go with unsalted as you can always season the dish more once it’s cooked.

Step 1. Cut the chicken breasts into 2-3 pieces, especially around the thicker part of the breast.

Step 2. Add 1 cup water, au jus gravy and ranch seasonings to the pot and stir. Place the chicken pieces in the liquid and stir a little.

Step 3. Add cubed butter and pepperoncini peppers on top. Secure the lid and lock it in place.

Step 4. Set to Pressure Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.

Step 5. Once the timer is done, allow natural pressure release (NPR) for 5 minutes and then do a Quick Release.

Step 6. Remove the chicken from the pot but keep the cooking liquid. Once the chicken is cooled, shred it into strips.

Step 7. Make a slurry to thicken the liquid. Add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour to a bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and stir through, then add 2-3 more tablespoons either of water or the cooking liquid from the top. Turn the Instant Pot on Saute and let the cooking broth heat up again. Pour in and stir the thick slurry into the broth, it will thicken into a lush gravy.

Step 8. Return the shredded chicken to the gravy and stir.

All done! Taste for seasoning and serve this pressure cooker Mississippi chicken over potatoes, rice or pasta or you can make delicious gravy chicken rolls or sandwiches.

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