Low-Calorie Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

Written by
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston is a registered dietitian, nutrition class instructor, and food writer who specializes in healthy cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Kimberley Eggleston
Updated 06/17/19
Low calorie crock pot pineapple chicken recipe

​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 hrs 10 mins
Total: 5 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
443 Calories
16g Fat
42g Carbs
35g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 443
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 750mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 35g
Calcium 110mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This slow cooker pineapple chicken recipe results in a moist and tender chicken that is both a bit sweet and a bit savory. Note that a Crock-Pot is a just a particular brand of slow cooker, so you can prepare this recipe in any slow cooker that is large enough to accommodate the below recipe.

The ingredients and the method are both quite simple, so it makes for a no-stress weeknight meal, made even better because you can toss all of the ingredients into the slow cooker early in the day, and then have a warm and filling meal ready at dinnertime with very little prep.

You may want to serve the pineapple chicken with some steamed brown rice. If you happen to have a rice cooker, you can also prepare this early in the day so that come dinnertime -- after a busy day at work -- you'll have virtually no extra prep. Round out the meal with a green salad for color and crispness and plenty of nutrition, all packed in a minimal number of calories.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • 1 (20-ounce) can unsweetened chunk pineapple (undrained)
  • 1 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 clove garlic (minced finely)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons ​cornstarch​
  • 1 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup green onion (chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for low calorie crockpot pineapple chicken
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a 4-quart slow cooker, ​lay the chicken on the bottom of the dish.

    Lay chicken on bottom of crockpot
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add the undrained pineapple, red bell pepper, chicken broth, ginger, and garlic.

    Add undrained pineapple
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Cook the mixture on low for 5 hours.

    Cook
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, white vinegar, and brown sugar.

    Combine soy sauce
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Remove the cooking liquid from the slow cooker using a ladle, and add it to the pot.

    Remove cooking liquid
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it becomes thick.

    Heat mixture
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  8. Return the sauce to the slow cooker.

    Return sauce to slow cooker
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Before serving, sprinkle the dish with chopped green onion.

    Sprinkle dish with green onion
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Enjoy!

    Low calorie crock pot pineapple chicken
    ​The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck