Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken: 5 Ingredients!
This Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken recipe is a great way to spice things up at your next party. The chicken is infused with a flavorful sauce as it slowly cooks to tender perfection, and it is delicious served over rice or used to make tropical-inspired sliders. You can make this dish with only five ingredients, most of which you may already have on hand!
A QUICK AND EASY DINNER OPTION
If you’ve never tried Hawaiian barbecue chicken before, you are in for a real treat. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and smoky, and the slow cooker makes preparation as easy as can be.
This chicken recipe is perfect for those who want to add more flavor to their dinner rotation. The chicken simmers away in pineapple juice and sauces, which gives a nice tropical twist. This tasty chicken dish can be served as an entree in a variety of ways.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are used in this recipe, although chicken tenderloins, thighs, or legs would be wonderful substitutes. The pineapple juice adds a nice subtle sweetness to this dish while also adding moisture to keep the chicken from drying out in the slow cooker.
This Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken is a great way to feed a crowd while keeping prepwork and cleanup as simple as can be. Simply combine all five ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours or high for four hours. The chicken will fall right apart as you shred it, making it easy to serve over rice or on buns. This dish is also very versatile, and it can be served a number of ways. My favorite way to serve it is with rice and steamed broccoli. You can also serve it as a sandwich, in a wrap, on top of salad greens… the possibilities are endless!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Requiring only five ingredients, this dish is easy to throw together.
- The flavor is sweet and smoky, yet not too spicy, making it perfect for all ages.
- The ingredients are inexpensive and easily found year round. No making extra trips to the store for specialty items or breaking your budget required!
- Options for serving are so versatile: over rice, on top of sliders… the possibilities are endless!
- This recipe is great for summer parties because it can be made ahead of time and requires minimal effort. It’s truly the epitome of a “set it and forget it” dish!
LET’S GET STARTED
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Slow cooker
- Two forks
- Plate
- Spoon
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Chicken: While I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, you could also use chicken tenderloins, thighs, or legs.
- Barbecue sauce: I use Stubb’s brand.
- Teriyaki sauce: I use Kinder’s brand.
- Onion: Any type of diced onion will do! If you don’t have an onion on hand, you can use half a tablespoon of onion powder instead.
- Canned pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice: While fresh or canned pineapple both work great in this recipe, I prefer using canned pineapple because it knocks two birds out with one stone, so to speak, because it provides both the pineapple chunks and the pineapple juice. If you are using canned pineapple chunks, opt for the kind in 100% pineapple juice. If you are using fresh pineapple, reserve some of the juice as you cut it to include in the recipe. Alternatively, you could use a small can of pineapple juice if needed.
INSTRUCTIONS
- In your slow cooker, add the chicken, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, onion, pineapple, and half of the juice from the can of pineapple.
- Cover and cook on low for eight hours or on high for four hours.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the slow cooker, place on a plate, and shred with two forks.
- Return the chicken to the slow cooker and allow it to cook for another 10-15 minutes to absorb the sauce.
VARIATIONS TO THIS RECIPE
- While this chicken recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, you can also use chicken tenderloins, thighs, or legs if you prefer.
- While this recipe uses canned pineapple chunks, fresh pineapple will work just as well. Make sure to cut the pineapple into small pieces before adding to the slow cooker and use a small can of pineapple juice if your pineapple doesn’t give off enough juice on its own.
- Adding some fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro will give an extra pop of vibrant flavor.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN YOU PREPARE THIS SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can prepare this recipe ahead of time. Simply add the ingredients to the crock of the slow cooker and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking. When you’re ready to cook the dish, remove the crock from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for up to one hour. This step takes some of the chill off.
WHAT CAN YOU SERVE WITH THIS SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN?
The sweet and tangy sauce is perfect for serving over rice or couscous, or even with a side of steamed vegetables like broccoli or green beans. If you’re looking to make your meal a little lighter, try serving the chicken on top of spring mix or chopped romaine lettuce along with some diced tomatoes and avocado. Also, you can eat the chicken straight out of the slow cooker… no judgment here! Either way, this slow cooker recipe will definitely be a hit with everyone in your family.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN USING OTHER FRUITS?
Yes, you can make this chicken dish using other fruits. While the recipe calls for pineapple, you could also use orange or a combination of lemon and lime.
STORAGE, REHEATING, AND FREEZING
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN?
The key is to store your Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Make sure to use an airtight container and keep it cold until you’re ready to eat it. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
You can also freeze your leftovers if you want. Just make sure they’re thawed and heated up before serving. If you don’t have time to cook another batch right away, simply pop your leftovers into the microwave or oven until they’re heated through.
HOW DO YOU REHEAT SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN?
Reheating Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken is easy! Place the chicken and sauce in a saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it is heated through. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave if you prefer.
CAN YOU FREEZE SLOW COOKER HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN?
While you can freeze this chicken recipe, it’s important to know how best to store it so that it doesn’t get freezer burn.
Here are some tips on how to freeze this Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken:
- Once the chicken has completely cooled, freeze immediately. Do not let the chicken sit out at room temperature for more than two hours to avoid bacteria from starting to grow.
- Freeze in small portions so that they will thaw quickly when you need them. Bags of about 4 ounce portions work well for this purpose. If you freeze the bags flat, they will take up less space in your freezer!
- Avoid any potential confusion later by labeling each bag with its contents and date so that you know what it is and exactly when it was frozen.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
This Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken makes eight servings. Each serving comes out to 182 calories, 4 WW Green SmartPoints®, 2 WW Blue SmartPoints®, and 2 WW Purple SmartPoints®.
Go here to calculate your own WW PersonalPoints™ for this recipe.
MORE SLOW COOKER RECIPES
Are you looking for more slow cooker recipes? Be sure to check out my slow cooker…
- Orange Chicken
- Mongolian Beef
- Tuscan Chicken And White Bean Soup
- Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Mediterranean Chicken Soup
- Mississippi Chicken
- Creamy Italian Chicken
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below, or post a picture and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter with @cookingwithfudge or #cookingwithfudge.
Originally posted on March 29, 2021. Reposted on July 31, 2022 with different pictures and more detailed instructions.
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Slow cooker
- Two forks
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice
Instructions
- In your slow cooker, add the chicken, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, onion, pineapple, and half of the juice from the can of pineapple.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
- Return to the slow cooker and allow it to cook for another 10-15 minutes to absorb the sauce.
This looks so yum! Did you use sugar free bbq and teriyaki sauce?
Thank you, Kim! I tend to get headaches from sugar free products, so I do not use them in my recipes. I used Stubb’s Original Barbecue Sauce and Kinder’s Teriyaki Sauce. You could totally swap those out for sugar free alternatives, and that would lower the points a bit!