Tender chicken doused in a deliciously sweet sauce, Slow Cooker Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken is a delicious meal that takes just about ZERO effort to pull off! Put it on your busy family’s menu today!
We are HUGE fans of Chinese takeout around our house. We’ve ordered basically everything on the menu (multiple times…). But, just as much as we love ordering takeout, we love to try to make copycat recipes at home too! We’ve mastered the art of homemade lo mein and now we’ve got this delicious Slow Cooker Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken. It’s tender, juicy, and packed with sweet and salty flavor that will leave you licking your plate clean. The best part? It is literally the easiest recipe I’ve EVER made.
Set and Forget Family Favorite
Sports season is in FULL swing around here which means late-night practices, games practically every day of the weekend… it feels like we’re NEVER home anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I adore watching my boys out on the field and I rarely miss a game. But, sometimes it feels like I have just about zero time to cook (hello drive-thru with sweaty sports uniforms on!).
That’s why whenever I’m feeling like I’ve got no time to cook, I pull out one of my favorite slow cooker recipes! This slow cooker chicken pineapple teriyaki is the perfect meal for busy families. It’s literally a dump it in and let it do its thing kinda recipe. And, added bonus (at least for MY kids…) it’s a copycat recipe from our favorite Chinese restaurant.
Pineapple chicken teriyaki recipes are simply the best because they mix the bold salty flavor of teriyaki with the sweet tropical tastes of pineapple. It’s a combo that tastes incredible and my family literally devours it. Now add in the fact that it’s a teriyaki chicken recipe slow cooker style? It’s REALLY a winner. Busy soccer moms, this one is for you.
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce – in my (many) years of attempting to copy my favorite Chinese restaurants, I’ve tried out nearly EVERY bottle of store-bought teriyaki sauce. My absolute, hands-down, favorite kind (and the only kind I’ll use when making pineapple teriyaki chicken) is the Soy Vay brand. It’s not sticky and gummy like so many teriyaki sauces are and it doesn’t burn in the slow cooker!
Pineapple – did I mention that this chicken pineapple teriyaki is SUPER simple? You don’t even need to chop up a fresh pineapple. Just grab two of those fruit cups you’ve got lying in the back of your snack cabinet and dump them right into the slow cooker, juice and all!
Chicken – you’ll need about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can also make slow cooker teriyaki chicken thighs if you prefer that cut instead of breasts.
How to make slow cooker teriyaki chicken
I wasn’t lying when I said this slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe is literally one of the easiest recipes you’ll find on the internet. So what are you waiting for? Grab your slow cooker and get cooking!
STEP ONE: Place the chicken breasts into your slow cooker. Dump the teriyaki sauce and pineapple tidbits right on top. Make sure you add in the juice from the pineapples as well.
STEP TWO: Stir the sauce and pineapple together. Then cover the slow cooker and let it cook on LOW for 4 hours and 30 minutes. Don’t mix it, don’t mess with it, just let it do its thing.
STEP THREE: Serve this pineapple teriyaki chicken over rice topped with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish.
Should you flip chicken in slow cooker?
NO! That is the beauty of a slow cooker! You never have to open it, you never have to stir it, you never have to flip your chicken. In fact, it’s better that you don’t touch it at all. Slow cookers rely so much on heat retention and moisture and every time you open the lid, that precious heat escapes.
Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?
Again, that’s the beauty of a slow cooker! Cooking your chicken on low for 4.5 hours from raw ensures that the moisture is locked in and you’ll get the most tender, juicy, delicious chicken ever! Some people like to sear their chicken first rather than putting it in the slow cooker raw. If you do this, I would cut back on your cooking time a bit.
What do you serve with teriyaki chicken?
In our house, we love to make chicken teriyaki pineapple bowls. Simply put your cooked chicken over a bed of cooked white or brown rice and add in some cooked veggies like zucchini or broccoli. It’s a complete meal in one neat little bowl!
If you’re looking for some more “fun” sides to pair with your slow cooker teriyaki chicken, here are some of my favorite homemade Chinese sides:
Asian Ramen Broccoli Slaw – this sweet and crunchy slaw is the perfect way to contrast the tender pineapple chicken.
Easy Fried Rice – not a huge fan of plain white rice? Mix up a batch of this yummy fried rice. Want to skip the carbs? Make some cauliflower fried rice.
Edamame Snap Pea Salad – ok, so it’s really more of a Japanese-inspired recipe, but this edamame salad has the perfect amount of sweetness to match with your pineapple teriyaki chicken.
Want more Asian-inspired recipes?
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Sheet Pan Orange Teriyaki Chicken & Vegetables
- Orange Chicken
- One Pot Pad Thai
*This post originally posted on 07/20/2015.
Ingredients
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 cups Soy Vay teriyaki sauce (about 1/2 bottle)
- 8 ounces pineapple tidbits (do not drain)
Garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds (see note)
- Sliced green onion
- Steamed white rice for serving
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the teriyaki sauce (see note) and pineapple tidbits along with the juice from the pineapple too.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4.5 hours.
- If serving with rice, start cooking it 4 hours into the chicken's cooking time.
- Portion the chicken over rice and spoon on some more sauce and pineapple tidbits. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve warm.
Notes
- Nutritional information is for chicken and sauce only. No rice or garnishes are included.
- If you have never used a bottle of Soy Vay Teriyaki, it is best to stick a butter knife down the neck of the jar and stir a bit before pouring it out to get the sesame seeds loose.
- To make toasted sesame seeds: Pour a tablespoon of sesame seeds into a small skillet and place over medium-low heat. Toast the seeds until they are slightly browned and have a nutty aroma, stirring often to prevent burning. Remove to a bowl and let cool.
Maureen Baisden says
Photo os meatloaf post with the recipe.
Sue @ Frugal Gifts 2 give says
My family is going to love this meal! I’m always looking for a quick meal and what could be quicker when you come home from work and your meal is already done! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Aubrey Cota says
My crock pot is one of my most loved appliances!!
Tiffany says
This was very yummy! I did do one thing differently, I chopped my chicken into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces, it helped it cook quicker plus more of the chicken absorbed the juice! Just a thought! Very yummy!
Karen says
This recipe is wonderful! Minimal ingredients, slow-cooker, delicious! Doesn’t get any better than that. Thanks for suggesting the Soy Vay Veri Teriyaki. I bought the low sodium version…just right. Only thing I did differently was to add a little cornstarch mixed in cold water at the end. Turned the slow-cooker up to high for about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.. This will definitely go into my rotation!
Sarah O says
Great tips on the low sodium teriyaki sauce, and thickening with cornstarch! I will have to try that Karen. 🙂
jazz says
did it really only take 4.5 hrs on LOW. every other recipe ive found has said 6-8 hrs on low or 4 on HIGH???? same amount of chicken used in every single one
Sarah O says
Yes, something with this much sugar in it does better on LOW for that amount of time. The edges start to burn on high, or longer time. If the lid is opened while it cooks it will take longer.