Do you want an easy, 3 ingredient dinner without a ton of work? Make this Slow Cooker Chicken With Pineapple in your Crockpot or Instant Pot and serve it over rice, in a sandwich, or on top of a salad!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love Slow Cooker Chicken Pineapple
- Ingredient Information and Substitutions
- How To Make Pineapple Slow Cooker Chicken
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken
- What To Serve With Chicken Pineapple
- Other Delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe
- Slow Cooker Chicken With Pineapple
Why You'll Love Slow Cooker Chicken Pineapple
I love a good shredded chicken recipe! There are so many options for ways to serve it and repurpose it for multiple meals and meal preps. So I thought it would be fun to mix things up with a tropical chicken recipe.
I love the idea of taking only a couple of ingredients and dumping them into a crockpot or instant pot and letting the machine to the rest. The great thing about these is that the chicken ends up fall-apart-tender and the other ingredients give it a robust flavor that will keep everyone coming back for more!
- Crockpot or Instant Pot Friendly
- Delicious
- Tropical flavors
- Great for weeknight dinners
- Family Friendly
Ingredient Information and Substitutions
- Chicken- I prefer boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could also make this recipe with chicken thighs as well.
- Sofrito- It's a tasty tomato cooking base that gives the dish plenty of flavor. In a pinch salsa will work, but Sofrito is where its at!
- Pineapple- For best results, use crushed pineapple. It allows the chicken to really soak up the sweet pineapple juices. Make sure you don't drain it!
- Cilantro- While it's optional, cilantro adds some extra vibrance and flavor when sprinkled on top just before serving!
How To Make Pineapple Slow Cooker Chicken
Step 1: Place the chicken into the pot.
Step 2: Pour the Sofrito and the crushed pineapple with it's juices over the top of the chicken.
Step 3: Cover and cook as per the recipe directions (depending on which machine you're using).
Step 4: Once cooking is done, shred chicken.
Stir the shredded chicken with the sauce to combine and serve with chopped cilantro. Devour!
Frequently Asked Questions
I made this with chicken breasts to keep it on the leaner side, but this would also be delicious with boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 4-6 of them since they're smaller).
One thing I love about this recipe is that it offers several serving options. It's excellent on its own with the sides of your choice. You can serve it over white or brown rice. Put it in some Hawaiian rolls or the bread of your choice for sandwiches. Use it to make tacos. Or, for a healthier twist, use it as a salad topper.
I've heard various mixed opinions in terms of the origin of classic pineapple and chicken recipes. Some say they have Asian origins (these variations are typically enjoyed in stir fry form).
Others say Hawaii is the place of origin since many people are quick to associate pineapple with Hawaii. For this particular recipe, I was inspired by my brother-in-law Les. He is of Puerto Rican background and is an excellent cook. He was the person who introduced me to Sofrito as an ingredient, and the addition of the pineapple seemed delicious and lent the "tropical" feel.
Yes- I would dice it pretty small (use around 1 cup of diced) and add ¼ cup of water since there won't be juice like you find in the canned pineapple. You can also pop it into a food processor and pulse it a couple times to chop it. Just be carefully you don't overdo and puree the pineapple.
A little but but the Sofrito adds a nice balance, so it ends up being a little bit sweet and a little bit savory.
Yes! You can place all ingredients into a plastic zipper bag and freeze and then thaw before cooking. You can also freeze this covered once cooked if you'd rather (just be sure you don't shred it too finely if doing this).
Tips For Making Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken
- Trim any extra fat from the chicken breasts to that it's all meat and nothing weird or chewy.
- You don't even have to stir the ingredients- this is a true dump-and-go recipe.
- I always taste it before serving and if you feel it needs salt and pepper, you can totally add it (specific to your taste) but don't feel like you need to!
- Prep Ahead- You can place all the ingredients into a zipper bag and freeze or have it prepped in your fridge for a day or two later.
- Storage and Leftovers- This will last up to 4 days covered in the refrigerator. up to 3 months in the freezer.
What To Serve With Chicken Pineapple
A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:
Other Delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Slow Cooker Chicken With Pineapple
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 12 ounce jar Sofrito tomato cooking base
- 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional- for garnish)
- Cooked white rice, rolls or a salad for serving optional
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Place chicken breasts into pot.
- Pour Sofrito and crushed pineapple and it's juices onto the top of the chicken breasts.
- Cover the pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours.
- Remove cover, shred chicken and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately with chopped cilantro over the top.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Place chicken breasts into pot.
- Pour Sofrito and crushed pineapple and it's juices onto the top of the chicken breasts.
- Cover the pot and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 12 minutes. Set the gasket to sealing.
- Once the 12 minutes is up to a natural pressure release for 15 minutes and then do a quick release.
- Remove cover, shred chicken and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately with chopped cilantro over the top.
Video
Notes
- Trim any extra fat from the chicken breasts to that it's all meat and nothing weird or chewy.
- You don't even have to stir the ingredients- this is a true dump-and-go recipe.
- I always taste it before serving and if you feel it needs salt and pepper, you can totally add it (specific to your taste) but don't feel like you need to!
- Prep Ahead- You can place all the ingredients into a zipper bag and freeze or have it prepped in your fridge for a day or two later.
- Storage and Leftovers- This will last up to 4 days covered in the refrigerator. up to 3 months in the freezer.
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