Pineapple Chicken Slow Cooker
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A savory-sweet chicken dish with pineapple, vegetables, and a tangy sauce simmered in a slow cooker. Uses boneless thigh pieces browned for depth, fresh herbs, and a thickened glaze to coat tender chicken. Adapted with less sugar and swapped apricot jam for mango chutney for a fruity edge. Includes tweaks for vibrant crunch and layering flavors, perfect for hands-off cooking. The steps emphasize sensory cues to avoid overcooking and maintain chunk integrity. Balanced with subtle acidity and umami from soy paired with fresh aromatics and mild heat.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#slow cooker
#Asian fusion
#chicken thighs
#pineapple
#mango chutney
#one pot meal
#weeknight dinner
Pineapple chicken cooked in a slow cooker. No fuss; just layering flavors and knowing when to push heat or hold. You want that sweet caramel aroma hitting your nostrils when pineapple browns, mingling with fresh ginger and garlic. The chicken must brown first—never skip or sauce turns dull. Using avocado oil here shifts smoke point for cleaner sear. Mangos instead of apricot jam add complex fruit depth; plays well with tangy vinegar and bright snap peas.Expected: chunks remain intact yet melt softly. Intermittent stirring wrecks texture; just fold vegetables in at the end. Learn to smell and peek; colors tell you when it’s done, not clocks. Best served over rice soaking sauce, mouth-happy contrast. Hands-off enough for casual weeknight, yet layered taste keeps me coming back.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 12 ml (3 tsp) cornstarch
- 70 ml (1/3 cup) chicken broth
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) ketchup
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) rice vinegar
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) light brown sugar
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) mango chutney instead of apricot jam
Chicken
- 900 g (2 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in halves
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) avocado oil replacing olive oil
- 450 ml (1 3/4 cups) fresh pineapple chunks roughly 1 cm size
- 3 scallions sliced thin; keep white green separated
- 12 ml (2 tsp) minced fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small red bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 225 ml (1 cup) snap peas halved crosswise
- Salt and white pepper
About the ingredients
Adjust cornstarch for thicker or thinner sauce—add more slurry gradually off heat if too runny. Broth is base; homemade works best but store-bought okay, just watch salt levels. Tamari is my go-to for less sodium and richer flavor, but traditional soy sauce fine if preferred. Avocado oil resists high heat better here for searing; olive oil can burn quickly and confuse pan flavors. Pineapple freshness sets stage—use ripe but firm chunks, frozen possible but expect more water loss and weaker caramel. Snap peas swapped in for sweet peas as they retain crunch better after slow cooking. If red pepper unavailable, substitute with orange or yellow sweet pepper; adds a different sweet note and crunch. Fresh ginger essential; powders give a flat, one-dimensional heat that dulls the sauce.
Method
Sauce
- Whisk cornstarch into broth until smooth; dump everything else in. Mix well. Set aside. This slurry is key. No lumps or the sauce turns grainy. Mango chutney ups fruity notes; swap for apricot or even pineapple preserves if needed. Try to avoid jarred jam with big chunks unless mashed smooth.
Chicken
- Heat large heavy pan over medium-high. Oil shimmers but not smoking. Season chicken halves with salt and white pepper. Brown in batches, dont crowd the pan; 2-3 mins each side until golden with little crisp spots. Listen to sizzle. Transfer browned pieces directly into slow cooker insert. Browning builds flavor and seals juices — skip and you end with bland chicken todo.
- Same pan; add pineapple chunks, white scallions and ginger; toss and cook while stirring for about 3 minutes till pineapple starts to caramelize. Smells sweet with a bit of tang. Add garlic, stir 30 seconds more. Pour sauce in; deglaze pan by scraping bits stuck on bottom. Let sauce bubble and thicken for 1 minute; it should coat the back of a spoon lightly. Pour everything over chicken. Cover immediately. Low setting for 4 hours. The low slow heat lets collagen break down gently without shredding chicken fibers.
- After 4 hours, add red pepper, snap peas, and green scallions. Mix gently with wooden spoon to combine without shredding chicken pieces. Cover again; cook 30 minutes low. If your cooker defaulted to warm, bump to high; then cook 40-45 minutes to fully cook veggies but keep crunch. Hotspots vary; visual cues tell all — veggies bright, just tender, slight pop when poked.
- Taste sauce before serving; adjust salt or pepper but be cautious — sauce thickens as cools. Serve over steamed jasmine or basmati rice. Avoid too much stirring once chicken cooked — too much movement risks falling apart. Let meat rest a moment; sauce clings better. The contrast between tender chicken and crisp fresh veg balances sweet and savory notes.
Cooking tips
Cornstarch slurry must be smooth pre-mixing or sauce thickens unevenly, lumps ruin the silkiness I aim for. Browning chicken in batches is key; overcrowding swamps heat, ending with steamed rather than seared meat. Listen for steady sizzle and watch for golden crust to form. Adding pineapple and whites of scallions with ginger seasons sauce base — the slow caramelizing smell confirms readiness. Garlic goes last to avoid burning. Quick bubble of sauce post-deglaze thickens and concentrates flavor before hitting slow cooker. Four hours low cooks chicken to fork-tender without falling apart—too long and texture collapses. Vegetable addition timing is critical: go too soon, veggies turn mushy; too late, undercooked. Visual brightness, slight snap, vibrant color mean done. Avoid aggressive stirring after 4 hours to keep chunks intact; gentle folding only. Taste at end for salt adjustment; flavors concentrate as sauce reduces.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown chicken in batches; crowd pan and you steam, losing crisp bits and color. Heat medium-high. Listen for steady sizzle. Golden with little char spots signals right sear.
- 💡 Make slurry smooth then add sauce ingredients. No lumps or sauce grainy. Mango chutney swaps apricot jam fine; chunks must be mashed smooth or sauce clumps. Fresh pineapple caramelizes fast so watch closely.
- 💡 Add pineapple, white scallions, ginger to pan after chicken browns. Toss often. Smell sweet with tang hints means caramelizing happening. Garlic goes last to avoid burning; stir quickly 30 seconds.
- 💡 Four hours low cooks chicken fork-tender but keep intact. Too long textures mush. Add crunchy veggies last 30 minutes to keep snap; stir gently with wooden spoon only to avoid shredding meat.
- 💡 Taste sauce before serving; it thickens as cools so adjust cautiously. Cover pan after deglazing sauce bubbles a minute till it coats spoon lightly. Use avocado oil for higher smoke point over olive.
Common questions
Can I skip browning chicken?
Skip it and sauce dulls. No crust means no flavor layer. Browning seals juices in. You get bland meat. Quick batches work best for sear.
What if no mango chutney?
Use apricot jam or pineapple preserves but mash smooth. Chunky jams mess with sauce texture. Adjust sugar down if too sweet or tangy vinegar if flat.
Vegetables turned mushy?
Timing key. Add peppers and snap peas last 30 min only. Overcooked veggies lose crunch fast in slow cooker heat. Stir gently or chunks break down.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly, fridge in airtight container. Reheat gently to keep chicken texture. Frozen okay but pineapple might soften more. Sauce thickens—thin with splash broth if needed.
