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!
Video
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