The Easiest Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

This easy Crockpot Pineapple Chicken is family friendly, simple to make, and preps well if you need to make it in advance. This is one slow cooker dinner recipe that you will want to have on hand year round!

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The Easiest Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

Easy dinner recipes are a great asset when you have busy kids or a tough work schedule. The crockpot makes life so much easier, family friendly meals especially!

The “dump it all in and forget about it until dinner time” mentality really speaks to me during those busy days and nights. This is one slow cooker dinner recipe that the whole family will love and almost anyone can make it, so you can get your kids into the kitchen to help out with dinner! 

Can I make this pineapple chicken ahead of time? 

This is a great recipe if you like to meal prep. Making crockpot pineapple chicken whenever you have time and freezing it is another option.

This crockpot recipe will keep in the refrigerator during the week so you can make a batch on Sunday and have it for lunches and dinner throughout the week.

Or, you can plan ahead and freeze a batch for a quick dump and reheat kind of dinner during those hectic school nights! 

What do I need to make this crockpot pineapple chicken? 

There’s nothing too exciting in this recipe for crockpot pineapple chicken. It’s a simple recipe with real ingredients. I love that I can see what is going into this recipe and know that I’m serving something wholesome to my family! 

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (Or Breasts)
• Crushed Pineapple
• Packed Brown Sugar
• Soy Sauce (I use a gluten-free version)
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Ground Ginger
• Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Cornstarch
• Water

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? 

You can use any cut of chicken really for this recipe. It’s very flexible. I like the boneless skinless thighs because they’re a bit juicer and give a great flavor to the overall recipe. However, if you have breasts on hand and you want to use those instead, they’ll work just fine. 

Make sure to check the temp of your chicken before eating it to make sure it has reached 165 F. Breasts may take longer to cook if they’re very large so you may want to cut them thinner or into smaller pieces so that they cook better!  

How to do I make pineapple chicken in the slow cooker? 

1. In your slow cooker, add chicken, brown sugar, soy sauce, crushed pineapple, spices, salt and pepper.
2. Mix everything together well.
3. Set slow cooker on high and allow to cook for 4 hours.
4. Turn off the slow cooker and allow everything to cool for a few minutes.
5. Take out chicken and set aside.
6. Make a slurry by whisking cornstarch and water together in a bowl.
7. Add the slurry slowly to the slow cooker and whisk to combine. (If you want your sauce thicker, add more by combining equal parts water and cornstarch, a little at a time.)
8. Return chicken to slow cooker.
9. Serve and enjoy!

 

What should I serve with this tasty pineapple chicken? 

We like to serve ours over rice, but you can serve it alongside whatever you’d like. It goes great with fresh or steamed vegetables and could even be placed over egg noodles or with potatoes on the side.

I have made this chicken with veggies or a salad in the past and no rice or noodles. Crockpot pineapple chicken is very versatile and delicious, the possibilities are endless. 

Can I cook this recipe in an Instant Pot?

Yes! I have made this exact recipe in my pressure cooker, and it comes out great. I sliced chicken breasts into pieces that were similar thickness and cooked on High for 12 minutes.

Then, I followed the other directions exactly the same–removing the chicken to add the cornstarch slurry, etc. It turned out great!

How do I freeze and reheat this recipe? 

If you want to prep this meal ahead of time you can freeze it in individual portions, or you can freeze the whole recipe once it is done cooking. Just let it cool completely, then place into your container or freezer bags and freeze.

When it’s time to thaw, you can do so in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on low for a few hours! 

Want to stock up on chicken breasts for your freezer? Grab the Perdue Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Value Bundle for just $49.99 when you use our link!

Do you have any other great slow cooker recipes I can try? 

Of course I do! I love to use my crockpot to make dinner so I’ve got some great slow cooker dinner recipes that you should try. Here are some of my favorites right now: 

• Slow Cooker Italian Sloppy Joes
• Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
• Leftovers Soup in the Crockpot
• Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Get tons more crockpot recipes at AllFreeSlowCookerRecipes.

Printable Crockpot Pineapple Chicken Recipe: