Creamy Crockpot Mississippi Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken slow-cooked with tangy pepperoncini and creamy sauce, served with pasta for a flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Seasonings

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
03 - 1 packet (1 oz) au jus gravy mix
04 - 6 to 8 whole pepperoncini peppers
05 - 1/4 cup pepperoncini juice
06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Sauce & Pasta

07 - 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta, uncooked
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Arrange chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
02 - Sprinkle ranch seasoning mix and au jus gravy mix evenly over the chicken breasts.
03 - Top with whole pepperoncini peppers and pour 1/4 cup pepperoncini juice over the mixture.
04 - Place 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in several pieces over the chicken.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 4 hours, or until chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
06 - Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken directly in the crockpot until uniform texture is achieved.
07 - Add cubed cream cheese and heavy cream to the crockpot, stirring gently until combined.
08 - Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is fully melted and sauce reaches a smooth consistency.
09 - In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly in a colander.
10 - Stir cooked pasta and grated Parmesan cheese into the creamy chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11 - Transfer to serving dishes and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crockpot does almost all the work while you live your day, and somehow the result tastes like you've been fussing over it for hours.
  • That tangy-briny-buttery flavor profile is addictive in a way that makes people ask for seconds before they've finished their first bite.
  • It's creamy without feeling heavy, thanks to how the pepperoncini juice cuts through all that richness.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the pasta thoroughly—excess water will dilute that cream sauce and make it feel thin instead of luxurious.
  • If your cream cheese refuses to fully melt, gently whisk the mixture or let it sit for a minute or two off heat; it'll surrender eventually.
03 -
  • Use softened cream cheese rather than cold—it melts into the sauce infinitely easier and creates fewer lumps to chase out of your mixture.
  • Reserve a splash of the pasta water before draining; if your final mixture seems too thick, a tablespoon of that starchy water helps loosen it without diluting flavors.
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