Crockpot BBQ Pineapple Chicken

An easy recipe for BBQ pineapple chicken that comes together in minutes and slow cooks while you go about your day.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 20

Servings servings

Calories 360kcal

Author Amee

2 tbsp butter or ghee or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
1/2 large sweet onion finely chopped
6 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
2 cloves fresh garlic minced
Non-stick olive oil cooking spray
1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika make sure you use smoked paprika, not regular paprika, for the best flavor
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt more or less, to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
10 oz can of pineapple tidbits drained well
18 oz barbecue sauce *see recipe notes

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large pan on medium heat.
Sauté green peppers and onions until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Add the remaining tbsp butter to the sauté pan.
Brown chicken breasts on one side over medium-high heat.
Flip the breasts over and add the garlic to the pan. Cook the garlic until lightly golden and brown the other side. *If you have large breasts, do this in two batches so the breasts have room to sear.
Spray the crockpot with cooking spray.
Then add the chicken and garlic, seasonings, pineapple, BBQ sauce, green peppers, and onions.
Stir all together and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, depending on the size of the breasts. *see tips
Rest 5-10 minutes, shred, and serve.

You can also cook the chicken on HIGH. The time it takes to reach doneness can be between 2 and 4 hours. To guarantee good results, keep an eye on the internal temperature using an instant-read meat probe, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

If your Crockpot model has a “SAUTE/SEAR” mode, you can sauté the aromatic vegetables and brown the chicken directly in the slow cooker. One less dish!

When draining the pineapple, reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the juice. You can use it to get every drop of sauce out of the BBQ sauce bottle. Pour the liquid into the emptied bottle and give it a good shake. Then add the mixture to the slow cooker.

To turn up the heat, add minced jalapeno or habanero to the pan with the bell peppers and onions. You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes, chipotle chili powder, or cayenne for a hint of fiery flavor.