Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

Throw out those take-out menus and make this easy and delicious Crockpot Pineapple Chicken for dinner tonight! Tender, juicy chunks of chicken, crisp & crunchy veggies, and sweet pineapple, covered in a sticky homemade sauce. Serve over a bed of fluffy white rice for an easy meal.

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

As much as my family enjoys getting take out from our favorite local Chinese restaurant, we definitely prefer this crockpot pineapple chicken when we are in the mood for some sweet and sour chicken!

So, when YOU are in the mood for some Chinese food and aren’t feeling your local take out, give my super easy crockpot pineapple chicken a try.

Easy to whip up since all ingredients go directly into the crockpot, just throw them in, turn it, and go about your day. Depending on your heat setting, dinner can be ready in about 2 hours.

And let me tell you, the tender, juicy chicken, the crisp veggies, and the sweet and tangy sauce is a combination that the whole family will love.

And should there be any left (although I know there won’t be), it makes the BEST leftovers. A perfect win-win if you ask me!

Check out my sheet pan sweet and sour chicken, or steak fried rice recipes too.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but this works great with chicken thighs or chicken tenders.

Pineapple – Canned pineapple chunks and the juice. If you use fresh pineapple, you will need to buy pineapple juice for the sauce.

Red bell pepper – I like to use red for the color but feel free to use red, yellow, or orange bell pepper. Just stay away from the green ones for this recipe as they are not sweet enough.

Pantry staples – Onion, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, grated ginger, garlic, cornstarch, sesame seeds.

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How to Make Pineapple Chicken in the Slow Cooker

First: Dice the chicken, onion, and red peppers into similar sized pieces. Drain the pineapple chunks and place the juice in a separate bowl. Add the chicken, onion, and pineapple chunks to the bowl of a slow cooker.

Second: In the bowl with the pineapple juice, add the cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined.Add the honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. Stir to combine. Pour over the diced chicken mixture in the crockpot.

Third: Cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or low 3-4. During the last 30 minutes of cooking or 30 minutes before serving, add the red bell pepper and stir. When finished cooking, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long does it last?

If there are any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm in microwave or on a stove top.

I don’t recommend freezing this as the pineapple and peppers will be too soft.

Like slow cooker meals? Check out this list of over 70 different crock pot recipes to make!

Serving Suggestions

My family loves this over a bed of fluffy white or Jasmine rice. Brown rice works great too!

If you are looking for a lower carb option, cauliflower rice would be an excellent option for plating as well! Quinoa or a mix of brown and white would be tasty too!

Can I make this in the oven, stove top, or the instant pot?

Oven: Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 – 425 degrees F until cooked through.

Stove Top: Set heat to medium-high and place a few tablespoons of oil in your skillet. Place cubed chicken in a single layer and cook through, slowly rotating to ensure even cooking. Once all the chicken is cooked, remove and let drain on a plate.

Then cook the onion and peppers until tender. While the onions and peppers are cooking, make pineapple sauce. Once the onions and peppers are cooked to your liking, place chicken back in skillet and add in the sauce.

Carefully mix all ingredients together, ensuring that all pieces are covered with the pineapple sauce. Turn heat down to low and allow sauce to simmer. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired thickness. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Instant Pot: Combine all ingredients in instant pot but hold out about 1/4 cup of pineapple juice and cornstarch. Close lid and make sure it is sealed. Select the poultry option or manually select 5 minutes on high.

Use a 10 minute natural release. Turn off the heat. Let the rest of the pressure release, then open. You will then select your sauté option on low.

Quickly combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice. Mix until combined and no longer lumpy. Add mix to the instant pot and gently stir to evenly coat all the contents.

Let ingredients marinate in the instant pot to allow sauce to thicken; about 5 -7 minutes. Once sauce is the thickness you desire; remove and serve over rice!

Tips for No Leftovers

• You can make this a lower-carb meal by serving over a bed of cauliflower rice.
• Try to keep chicken chunks, veggies, and pineapple all the same size to ensure even cooking.
• Bell peppers and pineapple tend to be the traditional veggies but you could also use snow peas, green beans, carrots, or broccoli.
• If the sauce is too thick, thin out with chicken broth.
• Spice it up with crushed red pepper flakes.
• Running low on cook time? Pre-cut peppers and chicken and place in air-tight containers over night in the fridge. When ready to make, allow peppers and chicken to come to room temperature before adding to the crockpot when you are ready to make.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

This crockpot Hawaiian Chicken is an easy dinner for a busy weeknight, and cheaper than takeout!

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