Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is an easy weeknight dinner that you can set and forget. Tangy, tender chicken thighs with crispy skin.
This delicious Slow Cooker Meal takes the sweet and sour flavor of Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple and makes it into an easy chicken recipe.
SLOW COOKER BROWN SUGAR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
The pineapple chunks and brown sugar give this chicken an amazing blend of the sweet and sour. You won’t be able to get enough of this crispy and tangy chicken. It’s sure to become one of your go-to family dinners for a busy weekday. This Hawaiian Chicken has such a distinct taste from the pineapple, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar mixture. An easy Pineapple Chicken that you’re sure to find yourself making over and over again.
The great thing about slow cooker recipes, like this one, is that you can set it up in the morning and have an unbelievably delicious dinner ready at the end of the day. The total time may be several hours, but your crockpot is doing all the work. After cooking the chicken in the crockpot, you can broil it in the oven for a few minutes to make the skin extra crispy.
For a super simple side dish to round off this Pineapple Chicken recipe into a full meal, make some Light Coconut Rice. It will pair wonderfully with the flavor from the pineapple juice and is easy to make while the chicken recipe is finishing up.
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN RECIPES
Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas
Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken
Slow Cooker Bacon Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
PINEAPPLE CHICKEN KEBABS
Make this Brown Sugar Chicken into a fun kabob dinner. Let the recipe cook in the slow cooker as usual. Once it’s done, cut the Pineapple and Brown Sugar Chicken into bite-sized pieces. Prepare bell peppers, roasted pineapple, sweet potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables. Put out the chicken and complementary ingredients. Everyone can skewer what they want onto their own kebab and enjoy a fun take on this simple recipe.
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VARIATIONS ON SLOW COOKER BROWN SUGAR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- Chicken Breasts: You can try making this recipe with chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Prep boneless chicken breasts the same way and put it in the crockpot with the same ingredients. Boneless chicken breasts cook more quickly. Set the slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours to cook the chicken breasts.
- Sauce: There are lots of different flavors you can add to the sauce that will complement the fresh pineapple and sugar mixture. Try replacing the Worcestershire sauce with ketchup, teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, barbecue sauce, or soy sauce.
- Add-ins: Try mixing in some more flavor with vegetables and other add-ins. Cauliflower, green onions, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, caramelized onions, or sesame seeds. You can also add seasonings to the recipe like paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, cumin or cayenne pepper.
- Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken: You can make the recipe with some more garlic flavor. Add in a teaspoon of garlic powder and 8 minced garlic cloves to the chicken.
- Marinade: You can try marinating the chicken to make it extra juicy. Put the chicken in a covered bowl with the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Then add in some chicken broth along with the rest of the ingredients. Whisk the marinade together and let the chicken sit for 4-8 hours.
INSTANT POT BROWN SUGAR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- Turn the instant pot onto sauté mode and add olive oil to the bottom.
- Brown the chicken thighs in the pot on both sides until golden brown. You may need to do this in batches.
- Add the chicken thighs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, crushed pineapple, and brown sugar to the instant pot.
- Lock and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then quick release.
SIDE DISHES FOR SLOW COOKER BROWN SUGAR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
Perfect Brown Rice (Baked Brown Rice)
Ultimate Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Stick of Butter Rice
Pineapple Salsa
HOW TO STORE SLOW COOKER BROWN SUGAR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- Serve: Don’t leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: To store your Pineapple Chicken recipe, let it cool to room temperature then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last well for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: This is also a great recipe to make ahead. You can freeze Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken for up to 4 months. To reheat the chicken, let it defrost in the fridge overnight. You can reheat the chicken in the oven, then add some extra fresh pineapple chunks.
Ingredients
- 5 chicken thighs , bone-in, skin-on
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker skin side up and season with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Top with garlic, brown sugar and most of your pineapple (save ½ cup) along with all the pineapple juice from the can.
- Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
- For crispy skin, put the chicken on a baking sheet, 8 inches below the broiler in the oven on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Top with remaining uncooked pineapple before serving.
Nutrition
How do I adjust the time for boneless thighs?
Boneless thighs on low for approx 2.5 – 3 hours on average depending on the slow cooker. Resist the urge to save time and cook on high. Chicken can easily be overcooked and be tough. Let us know how you enjoy the recipe!
This has become one of our favorite recipes! My husband & I both love how delicious it tastes, and leftovers always go in his lunch for work. I love how very simple & fast it comes together & cooks all day in the slow cooker. Thank you for an awesome recipe!
Love reading comments like yours! So glad you both enjoyed the chicken and thanks so much for the five star review, Dawn!
It was delicious! We will be making it again.
Great to hear and thanks so much for the 5 stars!
Can you top the chicken with the juice that was created during cooking instead of the reserved pineapple?
To substitute chicken breasts instead, how many chicken breasts/ounces?
What do I do with the pineapple juice
You use all the juice. You only reserve 1/2 cup of the actual pineapple.
Could you use chicken breast instead of thighs? What would be the cooking time?
Thank you!!
Just reading your chicken slow cooker meals and my mouth is already watering! Will definitely try the pineapple and brown sugar recipe. THANK YOU.
You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy it.
I tried this and it was so tasty and juicy, my family enjoyed it! This is going to be one of my go-to-recipes for our family dinners.
Thanks, Natasha!
Great slow cooker recipe! My family loves when I make this so easy and packed with flavor!
Oh my lands! I’m so glad I found this! This is so incredibly delicious! Such good sauce and flavor on this chicken! And so easy! So easy!!
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Betsy.
How long should I cook the chicken if I’m using boneless,skinless chicken breast??
Can I use boneless thighs??
Sure 🙂
Hello, love your recipes, maybe I missed it but I was wondering what adjustments I should make if cooking in the instant pot but with chicken breast instead of thighs? Thank you!
I’ve not tested it with breasts in the IP, just thighs. I think with all of the other ingredients though added, there wouldn’t need to be any adjustments. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Did I miss what to do with the 20 oz of pineapple?
So sorry about that. You’ll want to put it over the top before serving. I hope you enjoy it.
The recipe mention topping the chicken with garlic and brown sugar, How much garlic should you use and is it fresh (chopped, whole) garlic or granulated garlic? The recipe doesn’t give the details.
You should use 3 cloves of minced garlic for this recipe. I’m not sure why it didn’t post correctly. I’ve edited the recipe card so hopefully it sticks this time. Thanks for you patience.
The directions do not say what to do with the pineapple.
You’ll top it with the pineapple before serving (step 5). Enjoy!
Crushed Pineapple isn’t mentioned in the instructions
I’ve edited to include it in step 5. Thanks for catching that.
recipe does not say when to put in the pineapple!
You’ll want to use the crushed pineapple as a topping right before serving. Enjoy!
This sounded delicious. However, the ingredients don’t include garlic but the instructions do. The pineapple is included in the ingredients but not in the instructions! What is the actual recipe, please?
There must have been a glitch upon posting. I’ve edited it again to show the correct amounts in the recipe card. You’ll want to use 3 cloves of minced garlic and the pineapple are used as a topping before serving. Enjoy!
I have a few questions regarding this recipe.
Do you drain the pineapple before adding it to the cooker?
Also, the recipe says garlic, I assumed you meant the pineapple and brown sugar. Juat a bit confusing.
I totally understand your confusion. There was a glitch and the recipe card didn’t show a lot of important details. I’ve edited to read correctly now. Thanks so much for your patience will it was being fixed.
when do you add the pineapple?
At the end. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
A lady named Betsy asked 2 different times about using chicken breast instead of thighs.
It appears you answered every question except hers. I don’t understand why I didn’t see a reply to her 2 questions, at least one of them.
I absolutely enjoy your recipes. But I always look at the other comments BEFORE I even try it.
I want to see what other peoples thoughts are on the recipes. And your answers. A lot of times that’s where I decide if I want to use the recipe or not. IE. to hard, to many ingredients, people didn’t like, peoples opinions etc.
Thank you for your valuable time and information.
Lisa
Hi Lisa! I get a couple hundred comments a day and unfortunately I can not get to every one. I just went through our comments looking for Betsy’s comment and I can’t find it. but for the question, you can substitute different cuts if you’d like, but I have not tried it with this specific recipe so I don’t have tips on cook times or flavor changes because of that. I really wish I could get to everyones comments but its really hard sometimes, sorry!
States to top with garlic but garlic isn’t listed as an ingredient? Salt, powder, minced, whole?
3 cloves minced 🙂
There is no garlic in the ingredients and you mention nothing about when to add the pineapple ?
There was a glitch upon this posting. The recipe card has since been corrected to fill in the missing pieces. So sorry about that.
What are we supposed to do with the pineapple? Mix with the brown sugar?
I’ve edited the recipe card to show the missing amounts and steps. I’m so sorry they were missing upon posting.
How does the recipe with 5 chicken pieces serve 8?
Thank you for catching that. There was a massive glitch with this recipe card but I’ve since gone in and corrected them. Fingers crossed it sticks this time.
What step should the pineapple be added. It’s not listed in the directions
You’ll add it at the end before serving. Enjoy!
Hi Sabrina- on the slow cooker version, do you cook with pineapples? Also can we use boneless skinless thighs?
I’d just add the pineapples at the end. You can use boneless skinless thighs for this recipe. Enjoy!
When is the pineapple added?
At the end. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
When do you add the pineapple?
At the very end, right before serving.
Thanks Sabrina for the Instant Pot directions–I don’t have a slow cooker.
Keep up the good work!!
Thanks, Sharon.
In the instructions, you have add garlic and brown sugar, but no garlic in ingredient list.
When does one add pineapple?
Thank you for such great recipes
You’ll add some of it to the slow cooker and then use the rest at the end. I’ve edited the recipe card to read correctly.
You forgot the pineapple in the recipe directions
Thanks for letting me know. I’ve edited to include it now.
In the instructions it says to top with “garlic, brown sugar” – I think that this should read “pineapple, brown sugar” . But it sounds delish anyway!