Transport yourself to an island vacation with this delicious Crock Pot Pineapple BBQ Chicken! This recipe is only 6 ingredients and uses tropical pineapple and tangy barbecue sauce to make the perfect sweet and rich shredded BBQ chicken.
This recipe is the perfect dump-and-go chicken dish for a meal on a busy day. Enjoy Hawaiian BBQ chicken sandwiches for lunch on the weekend, or have this meal waiting for you after work on a hectic weeknight. The whole family will love the sweet and savory flavor, and you'll love how minimal the clean-up is!
If you like this easy BBQ pineapple chicken in the crockpot, you will love my slow cooked apricot chicken and this crock pot orange chicken!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold Flavor without Many Ingredients: This rich and sweet pineapple BBQ chicken only requires 6 ingredients, but the final result is packed with flavor.
- Little Prep Work Required: Minus chopping onions and peppers, this recipe doesn't require any prep work. Just dump the ingredients in the crock pot and come back a few hours later to tender Hawaiian BBQ chicken.
- Budget-Friendly: Chicken, barbeque sauce, and canned pineapple aren't expensive ingredients, so this dish is perfect for families on a budget that want something fun and different for dinner!
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best for this recipe, but you can also use boneless, skinless thighs. Using chicken without bones is ideal to make shredding the meat easier.
- Red Bell Pepper and Onion: Use sweet bell peppers like red, yellow, or orange and yellow onion for this recipe. Green bell peppers are too bitter for barbecue pineapple chicken.
- Canned Pineapple: Use a full can of pineapple chunks with the juice. The pineapple juice is very acidic and will help tenderize the chicken as it cooks.
- BBQ Sauce: You can't have barbecue chicken without barbecue sauce! Use your favorite thick or spicy sauce to pair with the pineapple.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Make It Spicy: If you want to make a spicy and sweet BBQ chicken with pineapple, try adding hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or jalapenos to this recipe! It will give it the perfect kick of heat.
- Keep It Gluten-Free: This recipe can easily be gluten-free; you just need to use a gluten-free BBQ sauce. Check that the bottle says "gluten-free" and doesn't contain wheat flour, barley, rye, malt, or yeast extract.
- Make Pineapple BBQ Pork: Try this recipe with pork instead! Boneless pork chops are a great alternative to chicken breasts. You could also extend the cooking time and slow-cook a whole pork loin!
How to Make Pineapple BBQ Chicken in the Crock Pot
Nothing beats a true dump-and-go crock pot meal on a busy day! Whether you make this BBQ chicken with pineapple for lunch on the weekend or for dinner during the week, everyone will love how flavorful and filling it is!
- Step 1: Prep the Veggies. Cut the onion and red bell peppers into large pieces and add them to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top of the veggies.
- Step 2: Mix the Sauce. Mix together the juice from the can of pineapple, BBQ sauce, and garlic. Set aside the pineapple chunks to use later.
- Step 3: Cover and Cook. Secure the lid on the slow cooker and cook the chicken on high for 2½ - 3½ hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
- Step 4: Shred the Chicken and Add the Pineapple. Remove chicken and ¼ cup of sauce. Then, shred the chicken with two forks. Whisk cornstarch into reserved sauce. Add chicken, pineapple chunks, and cornstarch slurry to the crock pot. Toss until well coated and cook for an additional 15 minutes before serving with a side of slow cooker white rice or brown rice, and a garnish of fresh cilantro on top.
Expert Tips
- Use Pineapple Juice Instead: If you don't have canned pineapple chunks, you can always use pineapple juice and fresh or frozen pineapple instead! The juice gets added to the sauce, and the pineapple gets added at the end. I would give the frozen pineapple an additional 15 - 30 minutes to cook through or thaw it out ahead of time.
- Shred with a Mixer: Skip the hassle of shredding chicken with forks and use your stand mixer. Place the chicken in the mixing bowl and shred it on low using the paddle attachment.
- Don't Over-Shred the Chicken: Overshredding the chicken releases a lot of the moisture and can make it dry and mushy. You want the chicken to be easy to eat on a sandwich, but still have some chunks and slightly larger pieces.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in 60-second intervals in the microwave or over medium-low heat on the stove until it is heated through. Be sure to thaw frozen leftovers for 24 hours in the refrigerator before reheating them.
- Make Ahead: This is a great make-ahead recipe! You can combine the ingredients in a freezer-safe container, uncooked, and freeze them for up to 3 months. When you're ready to make crock pot chicken and pineapple, thaw the ingredients for 24 hours, then dump them in the crock pot and cook them.
Serving Suggestions
This slow cooker pineapple chicken recipe is extremely versatile because you can serve it in many different ways! Whether it's over rice, on a sandwich, or as taco filling, the flavorful chicken is great for lunch or dinner. You can't go wrong with Sunday afternoon BBQ sandwiches or a chicken dinner on Wednesday evenings.
- Enjoy the chicken on tacos or make a Hawaiian version of slow cooked chicken nachos!
- Make Hawaiian BBQ chicken sliders with a side of corn on the cob and crockpot mac and cheese.
- Enjoy crock pot bread pudding for dessert with this pineapple BBQ chicken recipe!
Recipe FAQs
If the pineapple juice thins out your barbecue sauce too much, you can make a cornstarch slurry to thicken it back up. Whisk together a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water, then slowly stir it into the sauce until it reaches a consistency you like.
This delicious Hawaiian-inspired recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make in the Instant Pot! Combine all the ingredients in the digital pressure cooker, then set it to manual pressure and cook for 12 minutes. Allow the pressure to fully release naturally, then shred the chicken and serve it!
Make this Hawaiian BBQ chicken in the oven in less than 30 minutes! Combine everything in a baking dish and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
More Delicious Hawaiian Crock Pot Recipes
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Crock Pot Pineapple BBQ Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 20 ounces pineapple chunks in juice Do Not Drain Juice
- 18 ounces BBQ sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Add onion and red bell peppers to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Then, place the chicken on top.
- In a bowl, add the juice from the pineapple chunks, BBQ sauce, garlic, and black pepper. Mix until well combined, then pour over the chicken and vegetables. Reserve the pineapple chunks for later.
- Cook on high for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Remove chicken and ¼ cup of sauce. Then, shred the chicken with two forks. Whisk cornstarch into reserved sauce. Add chicken, pineapple chunks, and cornstarch slurry to the crock pot. Toss until well coated and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
- Serve over rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Substitute pineapple juice and fresh or frozen pineapple for canned pineapple chunks.
- Shred the chicken with a stand mixer. Place the chicken in the mixing bowl and shred it on low using the paddle attachment. Just be sure not to over-shred it!
- Try this recipe with boneless pork chops.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate. It may vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact ingredient numbers, I recommend calculating them with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Ryan Allen says
The flavor of this yummy chicken is so good. Best part is it is so easy to make for busy weeknight dinners.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
Great recipe... this is the perfect blend of sweet and savory!
Ryan Allen says
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it. The sweet and savory combo is one of my favorites too.