When I released my take on the Mississippi Pot Roast, it went gangbusters. And I can’t say I’m surprised. Featuring the most tangy/savory/sweet gravy draped over a fork-tender chuck roast and peppered with zesty peperoncini/banana pepper rings, this dish melts away like butta.
But a lot of folks requested a version that focused on chicken. And when you speak, I listen. And so I’m thrilled to share with you an outrageously grand Mississippi Chicken! But make no mistake, this isn’t merely a substitute dish to a roast. No, sir! In fact it’s so wondrous, it deserved its own recipe write-up!
And when done in the Instant Pot, get ready for it to be done quickly, easily and magically.
Here’s How I Made It! (scroll to the bottom for the fully-written recipe):
Begin with some onions (if it has a ponytail, admire the cuteness)…
…and slice ’em up longways.
Add some oil to the Instant Pot…
…and some butter. Give it some heat.
Once melted…
…add in some chicken thighs.
Flash-sear the chicken for a moment on each side (they should not be fully cooked)…
…and then place in a bowl to rest for the time being.
Add the onions to the pot…
…and sauté for a moment.
Then, add in some garlic…
…and do the same.
Splash in some Worcestershire sauce…
…and deglaze/scrape the bottom of the pot from any browned bits that may have stuck to it while searing the chicken.
Now pour in some beef broth…
…and continue to deglaze (try to get the bottom of the pot as smooth as possible so we don’t have to deal with any pressure building issues later).
Now comes one of the key ingredients to this dish – the banana peppers (or peperoncini)!
Take some of that tangy pepper juice and add it to the pot…
…along with half the peppers from the jar.
Season it up with some au jus mix and ranch dip mix.
…and give it a good stir.
Add the seared chicken back to the pot…
…and top it with brown sugar. Cook at high pressure.
While pressure cooking, create the magical gravy potion! Add some softened butter to a bowl (yep – more BUTTA!)…
…along with some flour.
(And if you’re feeling spicy, a little Zatarain’s concentrate).
Take a fork and blend…
…until it’s a frosting-like consistency.
When done cooking, remove the chicken from pot…
…and place in a serving dish.
Bring the pot to a boil…
…and then add in the gravy potion!
Give it all a good stir and you’ll see it thicken into a rich gravy before your eyes!
Now add back in the remaining peppers (this gives it more body since these will be a bit chewier)…
…and give that gravy a final whirl.
Lastly, drape that sauce all over the chicken…
…and top with a few remaining peppers.
And just look at this beautiful work of edible art!
When you cut into the chicken, you’ll see that a fork will do the trick just as well as a knife could.
Try this sassy dish out…
…and then let it overtake your foodie spirit and soul! Goes GREAT over egg noodles and rice.
Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken
Mississippi Chicken is the lighter version of it's meatier pot roast bestie. I could eat this dish served over rice each and every day.
Ingredients
The Chicken:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter
- 2-3 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (bone-in are fine too, just make sure they’re skinless)
- 2 yellow onions, sliced longways
- 6 cloves (2 tablespoons) garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 16-ounce jar banana pepper rings (or whole peperoncini), 1/2 cup of juice reserved
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 packet ranch dip mix
- 1 packet au jus or beef gravy mix
- 2 tablespoons light or brown dark sugar
The Gravy Potion:
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, softened (zap in the microwave for 10 seconds if you don’t feel like waiting for it to come to room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon Zatarain’s concentrated Crab & Shrimp Boil (optional for extra spice, and a little goes a long way)
Instructions
- Add the oil ad butter to the Instant Pot and hit Sauté and Adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. Once the butter’s melted, flash-sear the chicken in batches for 1 minute on each side. Remove to a plate when done to rest.
- Add the onion to the pot and sauté for 3-5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to get up any browned bits of chicken. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer, continuing to deglaze before adding the Worcestershire sauce and giving it another deglaze (Worcestershire helps deglazing immensely).
- Pour in the broth and the pepper juice and give the bottom of the pot a final deglazing, making sure it’s as smooth as possible. Add in the ranch and gravy mix and stir until well-combined follow by half of the banana peppers.
- Return the chicken to the pot so it’s nestled in the broth and top with the brown sugar sprinkled on. Secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, hit Keep Warm/Cancel and then hit Manual or Pressure Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done and, using tongs, remove the chicken to a serving bowl.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the Gravy Potion until smooth like a frosting consistency. Hit Keep Warm/Cancel and then hit Sauté again. Once bubbling, stir in the Gravy Potion until melded and it thickens perfectly. Stir in the remaining half of the peppers (reserving a few for garnish).
- Drape the gravy over the chicken, top with reserved peppers and enjoy! Goes GREAT over egg noodles or rice!
Jeffrey's Tips
If you don’t care for a light sear of the chicken or wish to save a little time, you can skip that part in Step 1 and just add the onions when the oil and butter is heated. Then, add the chicken after mixing everything together in Step 4.
Feeling like a roast instead? Try my mega-popular Mississippi Pot Roast!
Alternatively, if you don’t want a really thick gravy, you can skip the Gravy Potion altogether. It will still be rich in flavor – just a thinner sauce is all.
Emily Kaczor
Can you use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
Danielle
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Victoria
Yes. I used 3 lbs of breasts and it turned out great!