Name: Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 280 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 1/4 cup honey; 1/4 cup light brown sugar; 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 2 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil; 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger; 2 cloves garlic minced (Use 2-3); 3 tbsp pineapple juice reserved from canned pineapple (Use 2-3 tbsp); 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained and divided; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 2 tbsp cold water; 1/2 tbsp salt (For seasoning chicken); 1/2 tbsp pepper (For seasoning chicken); 1 to taste sesame seeds (For garnish); 1 to taste chopped green onions (For garnish); 1 to taste extra pineapple chunks (For garnish); 1 serving white rice, noodles, or King’s Hawaiian slider buns (For serving)

When the weeknight schedule is just too packed, you need a recipe you can trust to deliver big flavor without demanding your entire attention. Good news, friends! This Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken is my absolute secret weapon. It’s the definition of a dump-and-go wonder. You throw everything in, walk away, and dinner practically cooks itself. If you love easy recipes like my Easy Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken, you’re going to adore this!

I tested this recipe on a day packed with back-to-back tasks, and the slow cooker truly saved dinner. When I lifted the lid and smelled the pineapple-teriyaki aroma, it instantly brought a little joy to a long day — proof that simple meals can still feel special. As the Efficiency & Testing Coordinator here at Recipes by Betty, I promise you, this recipe is tested, tried, and totally worth relying on when you’re exhausted!

Forget complicated frying or endless simmering; this recipe gets your chicken unbelievably tender and coated in a rich, sweet-and-savory glaze that tastes like you spent hours on it. You’ll definitely want to check out my notes on how to thicken that sauce later!

Why This Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Is a Weeknight Hero

Honestly, why bother with the stove when the slow cooker does it better (and cleaner)? This recipe is the king of what I call “Lazy Dinners.” You literally dump the ingredients, walk away, and come back to magic. Trust me, you need more Crockpot Dishes just like this in your life.

Super quick prep time—we’re talking under 10 minutes of actual hands-on work.
The flavor balance of sweet pineapple and salty teriyaki is just addictive.
Cleanup is practically nothing! Thank goodness for the slow cooker liner.
Perfect for making ahead as part of your weekly meal rotation.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Look, the beauty of this recipe is that most of the ingredients are pantry staples. You don’t need to rush to the store for obscure spices. However, a couple of items are non-negotiable if you want that authentic, juicy result. Pay close attention to the pineapple juice—we need some for the liquid base, but we save the rest for later! I find that using quality ingredients here makes all the difference in the final slow cook.

For the Chicken and Sauce Components

These are the stars of the show. I highly recommend sticking with boneless, skinless chicken thighs; they hold up so much better to slow cooking than breasts, staying unbelievably moist. Trust me on the thighs!

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (This controls the saltiness, so don’t reach for the regular kind!)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar (The molasses notes really deepen the flavor)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger (Fresh is way better if you have time!)
2 cloves garlic minced (If you have huge cloves, use 3—I love garlic!)
3 tbsp pineapple juice reserved from canned pineapple (We need this liquid gold!)
1 (20 oz can) pineapple chunks, drained and divided (We use half now, half later, so keep them separate.)
1/2 tbsp salt (for seasoning chicken—use good quality salt, maybe check out the differences in Kosher salt vs. Sea salt)
1/2 tbsp pepper (for seasoning chicken)

For Thickening the Sauce

This is how we get that glossy, coating sauce instead of thin dinner broth. Don’t skip this thirty-minute step at the end:

1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water

Serving and Garnish Items

These little touches—especially the fresh green onions—bring the whole dish alive when it comes out of the slow cooker. Don’t skip the crunch!

1 to taste sesame seeds (For garnish)
1 to taste chopped green onions (For garnish)
1 to taste extra pineapple chunks (The ones we saved for garnish)
1 serving white rice, noodles, or King’s Hawaiian slider buns (For serving—these buns are amazing for leftovers!)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Okay, this is the truly easy part! Remember how I said this was a “Dump And Go Crockpot Dinner”? Well, it comes down to just mixing the sauce ingredients and letting the slow cooker handle the heavy lifting. I always use my good ceramic crockpot for these kinds of recipes; it just holds the heat so evenly. If you loved my Easy Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken, you’ll be amazed at how simple this one is, too.

This entire recipe really shows you the power of a slow cook, proving that you don’t need high heat to build deep teriyaki flavor. Understanding the difference between just marinating and truly slow cooking can change your weeknight meals, kind of like how great teriyaki sauce vs. teriyaki marinade can be!

Preparing the Teriyaki Sauce Base

First things first: we need that glorious marinade! Grab a small mixing bowl—no need to dirty a bunch of dishes here. In the bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and those crucial 2 or 3 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice. Whisk it until everything looks happy and combined. It smells amazing already, doesn’t it?

Slow Cooking the Chicken

Next, toss those chicken thighs right into the bottom of your crockpot liner. Don’t worry about sealing them or anything fancy. Just pour that whole sauce mixture right over the top of the chicken. Cover it up tight. You have two options here: cook it on LOW for a nice, lengthy 4 to 5 hours, or if you’re short on time, crank it up to HIGH for about 2.5 to 3 hours until that chicken is fall-apart tender. It shreds beautifully with two forks when it’s done! You can look up other great ideas like this one over at Allrecipes.

Thickening the Sauce and Finishing the Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

This is where we go from “saucy chicken” to spectacular dinner. About thirty minutes before serving time, it’s time to focus on the glaze. In a tiny dish, mix that tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water—this is your slurry. Slowly whisk that slurry right into the sauce inside the crockpot. Then, don’t forget to stir in the drained pineapple chunks we set aside! Pop the lid back on and cook on high for another 15 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it; that cornstarch will thicken everything into a beautiful, glossy glaze coating every piece of your Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken. When it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, you’re done! Shred the chicken gently, stir to coat, and get ready for dinner.

Tips for Success with Your Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Even though this recipe basically pours itself together, I’ve learned a few little secrets over testing it repeatedly for those secrets to perfect baking, even when it’s slow cooking! Getting the ultimate flavor and texture is all about the small details, especially when dealing with sweet and savory sauces.

First off, let’s talk protein choice again. I cannot stress enough how much the chicken thighs win here. If you absolutely must use chicken breasts, you need to reduce the cooking time significantly, or they will turn into dry, stringy little bits of disappointment. Breast meat just doesn’t hold up to 4 hours on low the way thighs do. If you use breasts, check them after 2.5 hours on low just to be safe.

Secondly, taste your sauce *before* you add it to the crockpot. This is a huge step a lot of people skip! Remember, you are relying on the honey and brown sugar for sweetness, but low-sodium soy sauce can vary a lot. If you taste the sauce base and it feels too salty, add a splash more pineapple juice. If it’s not tangy enough for your liking, add another teaspoon of rice vinegar. You are in total control before the chicken goes in!

When it comes to thickening at the end, the key is making sure your cornstarch slurry is completely smooth before it hits the hot liquid. If you dump in a lumpy mix, you’ll end up with white, starchy pockets instead of that gorgeous, uniform glaze. Whisk that cornstarch and cold water together until it looks milky white, with absolutely no dry bits floating around at the bottom of your bowl.

Finally, don’t be afraid to adjust that final sweetness level once the chicken is shredded. Sometimes the natural sugar content in the pineapple changes depending on the can, so give it a taste right before you garnish. If it needs a little pick-me-up, a drizzle of extra honey right into the shredded chicken can bring that amazing sweet note right back to the surface!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

One of the best things about owning a slow cooker is how forgiving these simple recipes are when you need to make a quick swap. I always keep a few backups in my pantry so that a missing ingredient never derails dinner plans, which is key when you are trying to keep up a healthy meal prep schedule!

We need to talk about soy sauce swaps first. If you have family members who can’t handle gluten, don’t even panic. You can swap the low-sodium soy sauce out for tamari liquid. It’s the perfect gluten-free substitute and brings practically the same salty, savory depth to the sauce. Just make sure you use the same amount!

What about the sweet stuff? Honestly, honey and brown sugar work together beautifully to create that classic caramelized teriyaki flavor. If you are out of honey, maple syrup works in a pinch, though it will introduce a slightly different depth of flavor. Conversely, if you need to reduce sugar, you could try a sugar substitute that measures 1:1, but you might need to adjust the thickening time slightly since sugar impacts how the sauce reduces.

Ginger is another big one. I truly prefer fresh ginger because it’s got that powerful, bright zing that ground ginger just can’t match. But if you only have the ground spice in your cupboard, absolutely use it! Just start with the lesser amount (1 teaspoon) and give your sauce a taste before it goes into the crockpot. You can always add more, but taking it out is impossible.

Now, remember in the notes I mentioned you could use ground beef for dinner instead of chicken? That’s totally true! If you use ground beef, you need to brown it separately in a skillet first and drain off most of the fat. Then, you add the cooked beef to the slow cooker with the liquids. Keep in mind the cooking time will be much shorter—maybe only 2 to 3 hours on LOW—since it doesn’t need to cook from raw.

This flexibility makes it such a reliable option, whether you’re looking for one of those easy Pineapple Chicken recipes or just need a fast meal, trust me, this recipe adapts!

Serving Suggestions for Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

The best part about having such a flavorful main dish is that the sides need to be super simple, which is perfect for anyone relying on slow cooker meals! We want things that soak up that amazing, thick teriyaki glaze without demanding hours on the stove. It’s all about keeping things efficient, which is why I love this chicken served over something basic.

The most classic way to serve this for dinner—and my personal go-to—is right over a big bed of fluffy white rice. The rice soaks up every last drop of that sweet, salty sauce, and it makes the meal feel complete. Now, don’t forget to check out my ideas on what you can mix with rice later if you get bored of plain rice!

If you are trying to keep things low-carb, or maybe you’re serving this for a party, try the King’s Hawaiian slider buns I mentioned in the ingredients. Pile the saucy, shredded chicken onto those little sweet rolls. The combination of the sweet bun with the savory, tangy chicken is seriously out of this world. We call those mini-sandwiches “Teriyaki Sliders” and they disappear instantly.

But we can’t forget our veggies! Since this dish is rich and a little sweet from the pineapple, you need something bright and green to cut through it. Steamed broccoli is my absolute favorite partner for this recipe. It catches the sauce beautifully and adds a nice, fresh crunch. Toss it lightly with a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of salt right before serving. That’s it! Two minutes of prep for a perfect side dish.

If you want something lighter during the warmer part of the year—though this is great in the fall too—a simple Asian-inspired slaw works wonderfully. Just shred some cabbage and carrots, maybe toss it with a tiny bit of rice vinegar and a touch of honey for a quick dressing. It adds that necessary acidity and crunch to balance the richness of the slow-cooked chicken. Keep it simple, keep it tasty!

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Because this recipe works so perfectly as one of those reliable Healthy Crockpot Meals, you absolutely should make a double batch. Who wants to cook on Wednesday night anyway? Storing this properly means you get instant, delicious leftovers that taste just as good as they did straight out of the slow cooker. It’s honestly one of the best parts of using the crockpot for dinner!

When it comes to refrigeration, you want to get the leftovers into an airtight container fairly quickly after cooking. Once the chicken has cooled slightly—don’t put piping hot food straight into the fridge, that’s not great for your appliance—transfer it to shallow, sealed containers. This helps it cool down faster and keeps the sauce from getting too gooey. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. I usually portion mine out right away over rice so that grabbing lunch the next day is totally foolproof.

If you want to freeze this for future lazy dinners, you’ve got great options here, too! Freezing is best done *before* you thicken the sauce. If you freeze the chicken and the thin sauce together, the texture can sometimes separate awkwardly when thawed, even if you whisk it later. So, shred the chicken, freeze it with the unthickened sauce. When you want to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then proceed with the cornstarch slurry thickening step right before serving.

If you are freezing it in the thickened state (maybe you just *have* to eat it thick right away!), make sure you use a freezer-safe container and allow ample headspace because liquids expand. It will last great in the freezer for up to three months. When reheating from frozen, you might need to add a tiny splash of water or extra pineapple juice to loosen the sauce up again before heating it through on the stove or in the microwave!

Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

It’s totally normal to have questions when you’re trying a new Slow Cook Recipes, especially when you’re relying on the set-it-and-forget-it method! I’ve answered the most common things I hear about this recipe below. You want success, and I want you to have success!

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs in this Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken?

You absolutely *can*, but I really advise against it if you want that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Chicken breasts are much leaner, and when they cook for 4 to 5 hours on low, they tend to dry out and shred into less appealing fibers. If you’re in a pinch and have to use breasts, definitely cut the cooking time down aggressively, checking them after about 2.5 hours on LOW. You want them to reach 165°F, but no further. Thighs are worth the purchase here, trust me!

How do I make this recipe spicier?

I love that you’re thinking about kicking up the heat! Since the base sauce is already mixed up before it cooks, it’s the perfect time to add some serious spice. I usually add about one teaspoon of Sriracha directly to the sauce base when I’m mixing the soy sauce and honey. If you want something with a little more smoke, add a half teaspoon of red pepper flakes along with your ginger. That heat blooms right alongside the sweet pineapple while it slow cooks, and it adds a fantastic dimension!

Is this considered one of the best Crockpot Recipes For Dinner?

In my professional opinion, yes, absolutely! This rises to the top for me because of the minimal hands-on time versus the high payoff in flavor. When people search for the best Crockpot Recipes For Dinner, they are looking for exactly this: something that tastes complicated but took zero effort. The combination of sweet fruit, savory sauce, and tender chicken makes this a huge winner for busy families every single time.

Estimated Nutritional Data for Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Alright, let’s talk numbers! Now that you know how easy this is and how good it tastes, you might be wondering where this falls in your overall healthy eating plan. Since this recipe is versatile—you might serve it over white rice, or maybe you’re making little lettuce wraps—the exact breakdown can change drastically. But I can give you a solid estimate based on serving it over a modest portion of rice, which is how I tested it for efficiency!

These estimates are based on 6 servings, using standard measurements for the ingredients listed. Remember, baking and slow cooking aren’t exact sciences when you factor in fat loss from the meat or how much sauce is actually scraped into your bowl. Always treat these figures as a starting point, especially if you decide to use brown sugar substitutes or a leaner meat!

For those of you who track macros, this keeps things nicely balanced—a great source of lean protein from the chicken makes this a solid option for your post-workout meals or just as a filling healthy dinner recipe.

Estimated Calories: 410 – 450 per serving
Total Fat: 14g – 16g (This can drop if you trim excess fat from the thighs before cooking)
Protein: 38g – 42g (That’s a great protein punch for dinner!)
Carbohydrates: 30g – 35g (This number depends heavily on the amount of rice or buns you use for serving.)

A Quick Disclaimer: Since we use honey and brown sugar, there is inherent simple sugar in this recipe. If you are watching sugar intake closely, cut the brown sugar down to 2 tablespoons and use only 2 tablespoons of honey. That will bring the carb count down considerably without ruining the classic teriyaki profile. When I test these things, I usually stick to the recipe, but feel free to fine-tune it for your dietary needs!

Share Your Experience Making Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Okay, now that you have this incredibly easy and flavorful recipe in your toolkit, I just have one request: tell me how it goes! I cook and test recipes because I love helping folks put delicious, fuss-free food on the table. So, please, if you make this amazing Crockpot Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken, come back here and leave a star rating!

Were you able to truly use the dump-and-go power? Did you serve it as sliders, or did you stick to the classic rice bowl? I’d love to hear about any little twists you added—did you manage to sneak in some extra ginger, or maybe you tried the shredded beef alternative I mentioned? Your feedback helps me refine these recipes even further for the next busy weeknight!

Snap a picture of your sticky, saucy chicken and tag me online! Nothing makes me happier than seeing my tested recipes saving someone’s dinner plans. Seriously, don’t be shy; share the love!

About the Recipe Tester

By Emily Mitchell, Efficiency & Testing Coordinator at Recipes by Betty.