This Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken is a quick and easy dinner that is loaded with flavor! Tender chicken breast is slow cooked in the delicious Asian inspired flavors of teriyaki sauce and pineapple.
Easy Pineapple Chicken
It doesn’t get much easier than this Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken! Just a few ingredients combined together and the slow cooker does the hard work.
Fast forward a few hours and you have a CRAZY DELICIOUS take-out inspired dinner ready to eat!
This is especially perfect for evenings where you are out and about and won’t walk in the door until the moment you should already be eating. Set this up in the crockpot and you will have it ready and waiting when you get home!
How to Serve Pineapple Chicken
I like to serve this dish right over rice and to take it to the next level, I add a little bit of finely shredded cabbage and drizzle it with a combo of this Asian Spicy Mayo and a little additional teriyaki sauce. HEAVEN!
Then add some sides that would traditionally be paired with Asian foods and you have a filling meal.
Side Dish Ideas
- Rice – White, brown or fried
- Salad with Ginger dressing
- Garlic green beans
- Spring rolls
It can be as easy as making one, or choose a few for a more hearty meal.
My Tips for the BEST Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken
Even though this dish is really easy to make, there are still a few tips I want to point out to make sure you really get the absolute most delicious result for your meal.
Make sure and hop down to the bottom of this post for the FULL recipe card.
The Ingredients
- Chicken– This recipe calls for chicken breast. Based on preference, you can sub any boneless, skinless cut of chicken such as chicken thighs, or chicken tenderloins.
- Teriyaki Sauce– I highly recommend the thicker teriyaki glaze style sauce over the thinner sauce. You can also make your own- I like this homemade Teriyaki Sauce recipe.
- Pineapple– You can use pineapple chunks as called for in this recipe, or if you want the pineapple to be less prominent, you can use crushed pineapple instead so it will be smaller pieces instead of chunks. Just make sure to drain it well!
How Long to Cook Chicken in the Crock Pot
As directed in the recipe card, I recommend cooking the chicken for 2.5-3 hours on high.
Since chicken breast is a very lean meat, this enables you to cook the meat without drying it out.
Since the slow cooker cooks without losing much moisture, you are able to leave the meat in there for hours on end without it burning.
However, this does not mean that the meat isn’t technically over cooked!
If you have ever had chicken from the crock pot that wasn’t burnt and was still tender and easy to shred, but tasted almost dry and was hard to chew. This is why!
Freezing Instructions
Pineapple Chicken makes a fantastic freezer meal! You can freeze both before or after cooking in your slow cooker with great results.
To Freeze Before Cooking:
- Combine chicken breast, teriyaki sauce, pineapple chunks, and garlic in a freezer friendly container or zip top bag.
- Freeze.
- When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator then add to the crock pot and continue at step 4 in the instructions.
You can also cook from frozen in the slow cooker, however it will add 30 min -2 hours to the cooking time.
To Freeze After Cooking:
- Prepare recipe as directed.
- Let cool and then divide into meal sized portions.
- Freeze in an airtight container or zip top bag.
- When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator or cook in the microwave or on the stove top until heated through.
Pineapple Chicken Leftovers
Leftovers of this dish reheat well in the microwave or stove top, so it is a good day when there is some left at the end of the night.
To save leftovers, package in meal sized portions, then place in the:
- Refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze for up to a month.
Pineapple Chicken Recipes
Here are a few ideas on how to reinvent the Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken you have leftover into a new meal for later in the week.
- Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Wraps– Core and wash a head of butter lettuce. Remove the leaves and fill with pineapple chicken. Sprinkle with cashew pieces, shredded carrots and spicy mayo.
- Pineapple Chicken Spring Rolls– Fill spring roll wrappers with pineapple chicken and a some finely chopped cabbage and roll them. Bake for fry based on preference. Serve with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
- Pineapple Chicken Salad– Mix a combination of chopped romaine and chopped red cabbage. Top with pineapple chicken, grated carrots, sliced toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and green onions. Drizzle with ginger dressing.
- Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice– Make your favorite Fried Rice recipe and add this pineapple chicken as the meat.
More Easy Crock Pot Recipes
If you enjoyed this Pineapple Chicken, we hope you will try a few more of our favorites!
Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 20 oz pineapple chunks, drained, (1 can)
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Pour the teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and pressed garlic over the chicken.
- Top with the pineapple chunks.
- Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or on low for 3.5-4 hours.
- Once done, remove chicken, shred with two forks and then return to the Crock Pot and mix with the sauce.
- Top with green onions and serve warm. Enjoy!
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Leave a Reply