This easy Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Chicken is sweet, savory, and incredibly tender. Chicken breasts are slow cooked with pineapple juice, BBQ sauce, aromatics, and diced pineapples, for those tropical and smoky flavors.
The result is juicy, pulled chicken that’s perfect for tacos, sliders, rice bowls, and anything really.
Quick Look: Crockpot Pineapple Pulled Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Method: Slow cooker
- Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, fresh pineapple, canned pineapple juice, BBQ sauce
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, tangy, smoky
- Ideal For: Crockpot dinners, potlucks, family dinners, freezer-friendly, meal prep
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Crockpot Pineapple Pulled Chicken
- A Fruity Twist on a Classic
- Why Use Canned Pineapple Juice and Not Fresh
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make Pulled Chicken in the Crockpot
- Tips for Success
- Recipe FAQs
- Make Ahead, Freezing and Reheating
- What to Serve with Pulled Chicken
- More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with Pineapple
Why Use Canned Pineapple Juice and Not Fresh
Fresh pineapple juice contains enzymes that can break down the chicken and make it mushy during cooking. Canned pineapple juice has been heat processed, which deactivates those enzymes, so your chicken stays perfectly tender and shreds easily. However, you can still enjoy fresh pineapple in this slow cooker pulled chicken recipe by adding it diced on top, as long as it isn’t mixed into the cooking sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless chicken breasts: Lean chicken breasts become incredibly tender in the slow cooker and easily shred into juicy pulled chicken. For 6 servings, I used 4 large chicken breasts or about 3.5 pounds.
- CANNED pineapple juice: This is super important! Fresh juice contains an enzyme that will turn the chicken mushy. Canned juice doesn’t, so that’s best.
- Fresh diced pineapple: While fresh pineapple juice can’t be used here, you can cook the chicken with fresh diced pineapples on top.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite brand here!
- Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce: These are the flavor boosters for a tangy balance to the sweetness of the pineapple.
- Onions and garlic: The aromatics. They add flavor and moisture.
- Spices and seasoning: Dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use chicken thighs, which are naturally juicer. They also cook faster, try on LOW 5 hours or on HIGH 3 hours.
- Homemade BBQ sauce: Try it with my Apple Cider BBQ Sauce. For a sweeter profile, this sweet BBQ sauce is fantastic.
- Use teriyaki instead! This is a popular one. Use your favorite brand.
How to Make Pulled Chicken in the Crockpot
- Add into slow cooker: In a large 7 or 8-quart slow cooker, make a bed of onions and garlic on bottom and chicken on top in a single layer.
- Top with pineapple. I use fresh pineapple here, but canned works too. Tip: If you’re using fresh pineapple cubes, make sure to only add it on top and not mixed into the sauce.
- Cooking sauce: In a bowl or measuring up, mix the cooking sauce ingredients (see recipe card below).
- Add the sauce over the chicken evenly. Note: The chicken will release plenty of juices, so don’t add more liquid than listed.
- Cook and shred: Cover tightly and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3.5 hours. When ready, carefully shred with a fork and top with more diced pineapple.
- Serve any way you’d like! I turned these into rice bowls with cilantro lime rice and a generous topping of my caramelized pineapple salsa or pico de gallo.
Tips for Success
- Don’t add more liquid. The chicken will naturally release juices as it cooks, so stick to the amounts listed in the recipe card.
- Cook time. Chicken breasts are lean and can dry out if overcooked. 6 hours on LOW or 3.5 hours on HIGH.
- Onions and garlic add moisture and flavor, and protect the bottom, don’t skip these.
- Optional butter finish. At the end, add 1-2 tablespoons of butter for a richer and more flavorful finish to the slow cooker pineapple chicken.
- Shred gently. The chicken should fall apart easily, and can get stringy if it’s shredded too much. Avoid using a mixer, as this can make it mushy.
Recipe FAQs
Can I start with frozen chicken?
No, when slow cooking, always start with thawed chicken for food safety.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! If so, you’ll need a large 8-quart slow cooker, or use 2 cooker.s
Why isn’t my chicken pulling apart easily?
It likely needs more cooking time. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF or a little higher in the center and it’s tender.
Make Ahead, Freezing and Reheating
- Make ahead: Up to 3 days in advance, store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to reheat and serve.
- Freezing: Freezer for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through, along with a splash of reserved sauce or canned pineapple juice.
- This crockpot pulled chicken is also a great meal prep recipe.
What to Serve with Pulled Chicken
This slow cooker pulled chicken is incredibly versatile. It pairs well with everything from fresh, bright sides to hearty comforting bases.
- I enjoy serving with coconut rice and my caramelized pineapple salsa.
- Other toppings for bowls: Creamy Coleslaw, Mexican Coleslaw.
- Sliders and sandwiches: Pile it onto soft buns to make crowd-pleasing sandwiches, just like these Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders.
- Use it to make tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or salad bowls.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
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Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with Pineapple
Try this easy Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Chicken! Sweet, savory, and tender, it is the perfect crockpot dinner for flavorful weeknight tacos, sliders, and rice bowls. It's got so much flavor and couldn't be easier to make!
Servings 6 people
Calories 293kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large boneless chicken breasts - about 3.5 pounds
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups diced fresh pineapple - or canned
For the cooking sauce:
- ¾ cup canned pineapple juice - do not use fresh juice
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce - your favorite brand
- 1 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Assemble in crockpot: In a large 6-quart slow cooker, make a bed of sliced onions and garlic. Give it a quick toss. Then place the chicken breasts on top in a single layer, if possible, or slightly overlapping. Top with the diced pineapples.
- Make the sauce: In a mixing bowl, mix the sauce ingredients until well combined
- Slow cook: Add the sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3.5 hours. Note: if cooked for longer than that, chicken can actually get stringy.
- Shred and serve: When ready, shred with a fork. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Top with more fresh pineapples for garnish, if you'd like. I serve it with my pineapple salsa and over rice, and it's also great on sliders!
Notes
- Canned pineapple juice only: Fresh pineapple juice contains enzymes that make the chicken mushy. Canned juice is heat-processed and good to use.
- The chicken will release its own juices as it cooks, so don’t add more than listed.
- Shred gently with two forks, as chicken pulls very easily after it’s slow cooked. Avoid hand mixers (makes it mushy) and over-shredding (makes it stringy).
- If the chicken isn’t pulling easily, cook for another 15-30 minutes.
- Optional finish: Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of butter at the end for a richer sauce.
- Make ahead and storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze in safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of reserved sauce or canned pineapple juice to maintain moisture.
- Feel free to use chicken thighs. Reduce cook time to 5 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH, or until it’s fall-apart tender.
- Use apple cider BBQ sauce or teriyaki sauce instead for a different flavor profile.
- If you don’t have fresh pineapple cubes, canned works too.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1173mg | Potassium: 810mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 342IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
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