Mississippi Chicken Spaghetti
My Mississippi chicken spaghetti gives classic Mississippi chicken a cheesy pasta upgrade! Tender chicken, tangy peppers, ranch, and melty Colby Jack come together in one easy slow cooker dinner. It’s rich, creamy, and packed with flavor!
Why Mississippi Chicken Is Better with Pasta
Two Favorites in One: All that buttery, tangy ranch flavor gets tossed with spaghetti. It’s a fun twist on classic Mississippi chicken!
Mostly Hands-Off: The slow cooker makes the chicken so tender! Just add the pasta and cheese at the end.
Rich, Cheesy & Saucy: Cream cheese, Colby Jack, and the juices from the chicken make a rich sauce that coats every noodle.
Ingredients for Mississippi Chicken Spaghetti
Try Chicken Thighs: Swap chicken breasts for boneless, skinless thighs. They stay juicy and tender as they cook.
Switch Up the Cheese: Try cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or a mix of your favorites.
Turn Down the Heat: Pepperoncini have a mild kick. For less heat, use banana peppers and their juice instead.
How to Make Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken Spaghetti
Mississippi chicken spaghetti is so easy to make! Let the slow cooker do the work, then add the pasta and cheese. Serve with garlic bread, a crisp green salad, or veggies for a full meal!
Add the Ingredients: Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Add the pepperoncini peppers and their juice.
Cook: Sprinkle the ranch seasoning and au jus mix over the chicken. Add the stick of butter. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
Cook the Pasta: Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente. While it cooks, shred the chicken and chop the peppers. Return both to the slow cooker and add the cream cheese. Cover and cook on LOW.
Drain Pasta: Drain the spaghetti, but save at least 1½ cups of pasta water.
Add the Cheese: Add the spaghetti, ½ cup pasta water, and Colby Jack to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the cheese starts to melt. Stir until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed. Top Mississippi chicken spaghetti with green onions and serve.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Save Some Pasta Water: Don’t forget to reserve some before draining the spaghetti! The starchy water helps keep the sauce smooth and creamy. Stir in a tablespoon or two if the pasta thickens as it sits or when reheating leftovers.
Must-Have Tools for This Recipe
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot: A 6- to 8-quart size gives the chicken plenty of room to cook and leaves space for stirring in the spaghetti and cheese.
Make It in an Instant Pot
Instant Pot Shortcut: Short on time? Cook the chicken in the Instant Pot instead of the slow cooker.
Add the Ingredients: Add the chicken, pepperoncini peppers, pepperoncini juice, ranch seasoning, au jus mix, and butter to the Instant Pot.
Pressure Cook: Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
Release the Pressure: Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
Shred the Chicken: Remove the lid and shred the chicken. Stir in the cream cheese.
Keep It Warm: Switch to the slow cook setting for 10 minutes while you cook the spaghetti.
Finish the Pasta: Add the cooked spaghetti, reserved pasta water, and Colby Jack, then continue as directed.
Mississippi Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
Chicken
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts10 pepperoncini peppers½ cup pepperoncini juice from the jar1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning1 (1-ounce) packet au jus mix1 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
Spaghetti
8 ounces cream cheese16 ounces spaghetti noodles 1-1 ½ cups pasta water reserved 8 ounces shredded Colby Jack cheese½ cup sliced green onions
Instructions
Notes
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Reheat in 30-second microwave intervals, stirring between each. Add 1–2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water per serving to restore creaminess.
Freezer: Don’t freeze the finished pasta. Freeze cooked, shredded chicken for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat with ⅓–½ cup chicken broth, then finish the recipe as directed.
Make Ahead: Prep the chicken and seasonings up to 24 hours ahead, or cook and shred the chicken in advance. Refrigerate, then reheat with ½ cup chicken broth before adding the cream cheese and spaghetti.