Switch up your weeknight dinners with these delicious pineapple chicken tacos topped with a fresh jalapeño pineapple salsa. This easy, slow cooker recipe requires minimal effort- just set and forget it. When ready, shred the juicy chicken and let it soak up the flavorful sauce. Serve in corn or flour tortillas, or over rice.
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Can we all agree that a good dinner is one that starts with SLOW COOKER and ends with insanely flavorful, juicy chicken tacos with pineapple? Because lunch, dinner- I've been all about these slow cooker chicken tacos.
The recipe was inspired by combining a handful of leftover ingredients, pressing start on the slow cooker, and coming back 4 hours later to dinner ready. And now, I've been making some variation of these for years.
Why You'll Love These Pineapple Chicken Tacos
- Preparation is a breeze- comes together in the slow cooker
- There's no shortage of flavor
- Dinner is done after a long day
- Tuck into corn or flour tortillas or serve over rice
- Makes wonderful leftovers; turn into nachos, burritos, quesadillas, or on a salad!
- Absolutely delicious with this jalapeño ranch
Grab These Ingredients
- Chicken: I usually use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will work too.
- Crushed Tomatoes: The crushed tomatoes add a depth of flavor and the base of the sauce.
- Red Onion: The red onion adds flavor and texture to the shredded chicken. If needed, you can use a white onion.
- Jalapeño: There's one jalapeño in this recipe. If you want less heat, remove the seeds and center membrane. Half the jalapeño is in the chicken, while the other half is in the pineapple salsa.
- Fresh Pineapple: Or use canned pineapple in water. I typically use fresh pineapple during the warmer months and canned in the cooler months. Remember, some of this is for the pineapple salsa.
- Water: You don't need much, just enough to help create the sauce.
- Garlic: Using fresh garlic gives the most flavor, but you can also use garlic powder, just ½ teaspoon will do the trick.
- Salt & Pepper: For essential flavor!
- Lime: Adds flavor to the pineapple tacos and the pineapple salsa.
- Spices: Using pantry staple spices like dried oregano, paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos With Pineapple
Assembling the ingredients in the slow cooker is your first focus. Combine all the ingredients into the slow cooker. Then, give it a big stir to make sure everything is coated evenly.
Now, let the slow cooker do the work for you. You can either cook the tacos for 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. Once cooked, remove the chicken and shred into desired size pieces.
Then, add the chicken back into the slow cooker with the sauce. I will not blame you if you slurp on some of that sauce. Let the chicken absorb some of the flavorful sauce.
It's time for the pineapple salsa. You can prep the salsa ahead of time or throw it together just before. You want to toss the
Now, only if you have time (this is completely optional), broil the shredded chicken. Place the shredded chicken onto a sheet pan and broil until browned. Soooooo good!
Here's The Easiest Way To Shred Chicken
You can shred the chicken the old fashion way using 2 forks, or use a hand or stand mixer to shred it for you. Either works, you get the same result. You can shred into larger or smaller pieces- it's up to you.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Baked Herb Crusted Salmon
- Cilantro Orange Chicken with Rice and Beans
- Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- 15-Minute Pesto Shrimp
Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Tacos
Description
Ingredients
Pineapple Chicken Tacos
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 ¼ cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped
- ½ jalapeño, finely minced (seeds and ribs removed)
- ¾ cup minced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup water
- ½ lime, juiced
Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa
- ¾ cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped
- ½ jalapeño, finely minced (seeds and ribs removed)
- ½ lime, juiced
Instructions
- Add the chicken, pineapple, jalapeño, red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, crushed tomatoes, water, and lime juice into a 5-quart of larger slow cooker. Stir together, making sure everything is coated evenly.
- Cover with lid and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, and using 2 forks, shred into smaller pieces. Place the chicken back into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Let it soak up the sauce for 10 minutes. Optional: After the chicken has soaked up some of the sauce, place the chicken (with some sauce) on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and place under the broiler until browned, about 3-6 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!
- While the chicken finishes, make the jalapeño pineapple salsa. Combine the pineapple, jalapeño and lime juice in a small bowl. Stir to combine. This can also be done ahead of time.
- Serve the chicken in flour or corn tortillas, or over rice topped with the pineapple jalapeño salsa. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on low over the stove or in the microwave.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The jalapeño pineapple salsa can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The ingredients for the chicken tacos (including the chicken) can be placed in a baking dish covered tightly, storage bag, or the insert of the slow cooker covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 day in advance. When ready, begin at step 2.
- Freezing Instructions: The ingredients for the chicken tacos (including the chicken) can be placed in a freezer-safe bag and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then begin at step 2. The cooked chicken tacos can be frozen for up to 3 months stored in a freezer-safe bag.
- Chicken: You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs in this recipe- make sure they are boneless, skinless.
- Pineapple: You can use fresh pineapple or canned pineapple in water. I usually use fresh pineapple during the warmer months and canned pineapple during the colder months.
- Jalapeño: There's one jalapeño in this recipe. If you want less heat, remove the seeds and center membrane. Half the jalapeño is in the chicken, while the other half is in the pineapple salsa.
Jenny says
These were delicious. Thank you! My kids ate them in hard tacos and I ate a burrito bowl.
Erin says
1/2Cup of Oregano?! That must be a typo. Can you advise?
Christina says
I’m sorry, this should be a 1/2 teaspoon!
Faithe Ricardo says
The topic was well explained.! Really makes complex topics easy to understand.