Baked Mississippi Chicken – 🍗🫑👏🏻This oven baked Mississippi chicken recipe is so EASY, uses just ONE baking dish, and you only need FIVE main ingredients! The saucy, juicy chicken has a bit of tanginess while pepperoncini peppers add texture and a mild heat without being too spicy. A PERFECT weeknight chicken dinner recipe that’s a cinch to prepare and ready in 30 minutes!
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Easy 5-Ingredient Baked Mississippi Chicken Recipe
If you’re like me and always trying to jazz up your weeknight chicken dinners to give you maximum flavor with minimal ingredients and effort, this is the recipe for you!
You’re going to love this easy baked chicken recipe!
- There are only FIVE main ingredients in my oven-baked Mississippi chicken. Because I take advantage of a couple seasoning packets or convenience products as I call them, it really makes this chicken recipe a cinch.
- The chicken is made in just one baking dish or casserole dish. Nothing to brown, sear, or transfer. One pan recipes are the best.
- It’s easy, saucy, juicy, and full of tangy flavor from a combination of the ranch seasoning and pepperoncini peppers. They add a mild yet nice heat level. The buttery gravy balances out the subtle kick.
- The chicken bakes in about 30 minutes and prep time is only 5 minutes, making this a perfect recipe for busy weeknights when you’re in a rush to get dinner on!
- If you’re low carb, this recipe is perfect with just 7 grams carbs per serving.
more easy juicy baked chicken recipes
Ingredients in Mississippi Baked Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – You can substitute boneless chicken thighs for chicken breasts, and while I haven’t tried it, you could likely use bone-in chicken rather than boneless, making any necessary adjustments with the baking time.
- Ranch seasoning packet – This dry ranch seasoning is what helps give the chicken and gravy sauce a zesty flavor and there’s really not a direct substitute for it. You could try using a variety of garlic powder, onion powder, and other spices – but my suggestion is to just go with a packet of ranch seasoning.
- Au jus gravy packet – You’ll also need a packet of gravy mix. When mixed with the butter and the pepperoncini juice, a lovely gravy is created during the baking process. The way my recipe has been written, you can’t just use actual gravy – you need this.
- Unsalted butter – Melts to create the gravy and adds moisture and some fat to otherwise very lean chicken.
- Pepperoncini peppers + juice – The key ingredients in Mississippi chicken are pepperoncini peppers and pepperoncini juice. They’re mildly spicy and tangy. I buy them already sliced in the jar to save time but you can slice whole peppers if that’s what you have. Banana peppers are milder and sweeter and despite a similar appearance, pepperoncini peppers and banana peppers are different.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Mississippi Chicken in the Oven
- To a 11×7-inch baking dish or similar sized casserole dish, add the chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and evenly sprinkle the ranch dressing mix and au jus mix over the top to season the chicken.
- Add pats of butter over the top of the chicken and then the pepperoncini peppers on top, followed by the juice.
- Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes in your preheated oven, and check with a instant read thermometer that the internal temperature is 165F.
- Rest for a few minutes, optionally garnish with parsley or fresh herbs of your choice, and serve with your favorite sides.
what to serve with mississippi baked chicken
Storage
In the Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
In the Freezer: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can add other veggies to the dish, such as onions, carrots, celery, and diced potatoes. Make sure to slice root vegetables sufficiently small or thin so that they cook through properly in the ~30 min bake time.
I’m sure there are, but I haven’t tested to find out what works and what doesn’t. This is a scrumptious dish that takes advantage of these little packets for convenience and ease. If you are opposed to using the or live in a country where they’re not available, this probably isn’t the recipe for you. However, I have so many other chicken recipes that you’re bound to find something else that piques your interest.
You probably can because I have a Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast recipe. However, that uses a tough and big chuck roast so it benefits from a low-and-slow approach. If you use chicken breast, I would say 2 hours on HIGH or about 3-4 hours on LOW but keep an eye on it.
Baked Mississippi Chicken
Equipment
- 2.5-quart casserole dish (or similar sized baking dish or baking pan)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (if necessary pounded to an even thickness, about 3/4-inch thick)
- 1.5- ounce ranch dressing seasoning packet
- 1- ounce au jus gravy mix packet
- ½ cup unsalted butter, sliced into about 6 to 8 pats
- ⅓ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 2 tablespoons pepperoncini juice
- Fresh parsley or other fresh herbs, optional for garnishing
- Salt and pepper, optional, and to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray your baking dish or casserole dish with cooking spray and place the chicken pieces in it. Tip – Chicken should be about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick. If it's very thick on one side, or overall your pieces are on the thicker side, pound them to a uniform thickness so it bakes through in the alloted time. They don't have to be "thin" but too thick isn't desirable either.
- Evenly sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the chicken, then the au jus gravy mix, then place the pats of butter on top of the chicken, then the pepperoncini peppers, and drizzle the juice.
- Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the internal temp of the chicken reaches 165F as measured with an instant read thermometer. Baking Tips – Bake until the proper temperature is reached, and don't get concerned with how long it takes. All ovens run differently, and all baking pans, thickness/thinness of the chicken pieces are different, and so forth. If it takes another 5-10 minutes, so be it.
- Optionally garnish with fresh herbs before slicing and serving. Flavoring Tips – If desired, add salt and pepper although there's a fair amount of sodium in the two seasoning packets and a bit of heat from the pepperoncini peppers, but if the dish tastes like it's 'missing something', you can't go wrong with a bit of salt and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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All the recipes that I have made from the Averie site have been easy to prepare and greatly enjoyed by friends and family. The ingredients are simple and yet varied and tsdty. I try two new recipes each week and I have never been disappointed by flavour or quality. What an amazing site filled with delicious 😋 and inventive recipes. My sincere thanks for so many menu planning ideas!
Thank you so much for your vote of confidence with my recipes, Caroline! I truly appreciate it and it’s amazing you try two new recipes a week and that they haven’t disappointed! Thank for taking the time to leave a comment and for all the recipes you’ve made and trusting me and my recipes. All the best! 🙏🏻
All the recipes that I have made from the Averie site have been easy to prepare and greatly enjoyed by friends and family. The ingredients are simple and yet varied and tsdty. I try two new recipes each week and I have never been disappointed by flavour or quality. What an amazing site filled with delicious 😋 and inventive recipes. My sincere thanks for so many menu planning ideas!
This was fantastic, my whole family, including my picky four-year-old loved it! I’m planning on making it again for company in a week!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Cassie, and I’m glad everyone including your 4 year old loved it and so great you’re going to make it for company that’s coming!
I do not see a temperature setting for the oven
My apologies for that omission! I updated the recipe and it’s 400F.
What is the oven temp for this?
My apologies for that omission! I updated the recipe and it’s 400F degrees.