Crockpot Pineapple Chicken
Crockpot Pineapple Chicken is tangy, sweet, and a welcome twist on shredded chicken. With no prep time and the ease of crockpot cooking, this recipe couldn’t be simpler and works for any time of year.
July 15, 2020
I’m a huge fan of using crockpots all year round. In the winter, of course, they’re perfect for a slow-cooked stew. But in the summer, the crockpot gives you a great excuse to keep the oven off.
In our house, this Crockpot Pineapple Chicken is more of a summery meal, but I’ll still make it in the winter (especially when pining for the beach). I love that it’s versatile enough to eat any time of year. And the best part — all you need is chicken, canned pineapple, and lime juice.
With just 3 ingredients (plus any bonus spices and cilantro), this is one of the simplest meals I make. Throw in frozen or fresh chicken, opt to cut up pieces to speed the cook time, and basically just leave it to do it’s thing for hours.
Timing
For frozen chicken, it’s consistently ready after 4 hours on high in my crockpot. In that case I wouldn’t bother it all — just shred it at the end with two forks and add cilantro.
For fresh chicken, I check on it after a few hours, just in case it isn’t cooking as expected. I cook fresh chicken on low heat, and after 2 hours, I will check that most of it is cooking through. To test, I see if it shreds at all with a fork. If it’s still very raw, then turn up the heat to high. You can also cut up pieces into chunks at this point to speed up the cooking.
After checking the chicken, I just leave it until it becomes very tender and shreds easily with a fork. For me, this is usually 4 hours on low. But not all crockpots are the same, so just do what feels right for you!
Pineapple
Crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks work equally well. Just make sure you also add the juice from the can. Naturally, crushed pineapple will disperse more evenly throughout the chicken, but sometimes I’ll do chunks if I want a generous bite of pineapple.
Spices
If you’re feeling spicy, add in cumin, cayenne pepper, or cajun seasonings, either in the very beginning or after you’ve tried it at the end.
Usually, I tend to add nothing and prefer it as is. I have added a dash of cayenne for some heat and love it that way as well.
This time, I only added cilantro halfway through cooking, as well as at the end.
bonus points for broiling!
Once it’s cooked, I highly recommend broiling your chicken if you’re feeling adventurous (and patient),. Those little crispy edges on your chicken and pineapple pieces bring this whole dish up to another level. Again, not necessary, but very, very tasty — especially if you like crispy things like me.
Serve
I love tacos, so that is my go-to for this dish. Feeling fancy? Toast up some tortillas and top with cilantro, more lime, and onions.
For alternatives — serve Crockpot Pineapple Chicken with my One-Pot Limey Rice & Beans, turn it into enchilada filling, or stuff it into green bell peppers and bake in the oven.
You can’t go wrong here. Enjoy!
Crockpot Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast or tenderloin, frozen or fresh
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 20 oz. can pineapple, crushed or chunks (do not drain)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Lay the chicken on the bottom of a large crockpot and cover with pineapple, plus juice from the can, and the lime juice.
- If using frozen chicken, cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until tender and shreds easily with a fork. If using fresh chicken, cook on low for 4 hours. (To speed up the cooking process, cube chicken before you begin cooking)
- After 2 hours, stir to make sure the chicken is cooking evenly and is covered by the pineapple mixture. Try shredding with a fork to gauge how much longer the chicken needs to cook.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking, finely chopped the cilantro. Shred the chicken with two forks directly in the crockpot, then stir in the cilantro.
- Season to taste (if desired) and serve as a taco, enchilada filling, stuffed into a bell pepper, or over rice.
This was a delicious dish and easy dish to make. The fact that you did not need many ingredients was a big plus, but the flavor was so tasty. I did not broil it to make it crispier, but enjoyed it straight out of the crockpot. It definitely will be a recipe I will often use now.
Thank you for the kind remarks! I appreciate your viewpoint and am so glad you enjoyed the dish 😊
This sounds yummy! Do you know how it would be adjusted for the instapot?
Hi Rachel! Thanks for the question. I’ve made this similar recipe before and it shows instructions for Instapot (https://pinchofyum.com/instant-pot-hawaiian-chicken-tacos). Cook time should be the same: cook on high pressure for 10 minutes (20 if frozen). Release the pressure and shred chicken directly in pot.
I made it in the instapot and it was delicious! Even my 5 year old loved it and he’s been known to tell me dinner is ” too yucky to eat”! 🤣 I did 25 minutes bc my chicken was frozen and added a little water to make sure there was enough liquid. It turned out great!
Rachel, thank you for letting me know your results! I’m so glad your 5-year-old even liked it. 😊 If you have a chance to rate the recipe, I’d be grateful! Happy cooking!