Description
Slow Cooker Tropical Pulled Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender shredded chicken infused with a sweet and tangy sauce made from crushed pineapple, tamari, tomato paste, honey, and aromatic spices. Perfect for a comforting dinner, it can be served on buns, in bowls, or wrapped in lettuce, complemented by a creamy cabbage slaw.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup reduced sodium gluten-free tamari
- 1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Serving Suggestions
- 5-Ingredient Everyday Creamy Cabbage Slaw (optional, for serving)
- Buns or lettuce leaves (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together tamari, crushed pineapple, tomato paste, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh grated ginger, and kosher salt until well combined. Scoop out ¼ cup of the mixture and set aside for later use.
- Add chicken and sauce to slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts or thighs into a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the remaining sauce mixture over the chicken, turning and coating each piece thoroughly with the sauce.
- Cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred.
- Shred the chicken: Uncover the slow cooker and use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker. Stir in the reserved ¼ cup of sauce to mix evenly with the shredded chicken.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the shredded chicken and add more salt if desired. Serve the warm tropical pulled chicken on buns, in bowls, or wrapped in lettuce, accompanied by creamy cabbage slaw if you like.
Notes
- This recipe is naturally sweet and tangy, offering a delightful tropical flavor that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare.
- Using chicken thighs will provide a slightly juicier and more flavorful result, but breasts work well, too.
- For gluten-free needs, ensure the tamari used is certified gluten-free.
- The creamy cabbage slaw adds a refreshing crunch and creaminess that balances the sweet sauce perfectly.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and used for sandwiches or salads the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
