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Crockpot Pineapple BBQ Chicken

Crockpot pineapple BBQ chicken delivers sweet, smoky, fall-apart tender thighs coated in a tangy, sticky pineapple BBQ sauce. Slow cooking on LOW turns the sauce caramelized and deeply infused for easy shredding.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Resting on WARM 15 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Pineapple BBQ Sauce
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand)
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple (with juice), from a 20 oz can
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
To Serve
  • 1 cooked white rice or brioche buns
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 0.5 sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in the bottom of the crockpot in a single layer.
Make the pineapple BBQ sauce
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, crushed pineapple with its juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes until fully combined.
  2. Pour the pineapple BBQ sauce evenly over the chicken, making sure every piece is well coated.
Slow cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred easily.
Shred and finish
  1. Remove the chicken and use two forks to shred it into pieces on a cutting board.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir it into the sauce.
  3. Let it sit on WARM for 10–15 minutes so it soaks up every drop of flavor.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a pinch of salt or a splash more vinegar if needed.
Serve
  1. Serve over fluffy white rice or piled into brioche buns, then top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: for the most flavor, shred as soon as the chicken is done and stir it back into the hot sauce right away. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce and keep the pineapple as written.