Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken is an easy and delicious family friendly meal that is done in minutes and only uses one pot!
Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken is a meal solution worth trying. The sweet sauce with flavors of coconut and pineapple, is perfect on top of the delicious moist chicken breast. The serving options are endless (see below), and the whole family will love this simple meal. Throw everything in the Instant Pot and let dinner make itself!
How to make Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken:
- In the Instant Pot, combine all the sauce ingredients, then add the pineapple chunks and chicken breast to the pot. Make sure you spoon the sauce over the chicken so that it's covered.
- Cook on manual for 6 minutes, then naturally release the pressure (don't flip the pressure release) for 10 minutes once the timer is done. Flip the pressure valve to release any remaining pressure, then open the top.
- You should remember when using the Instant Pot, that the time it takes to cook the recipe (6 mins), is not the total time of the recipe. You need to give the pot some time to ‘come to pressure’.
- Remove the chicken from the instant pot, transferring to a cutting board to shred, or a plate if leaving whole.
- Turn the pot's function to 'saute' and add a cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Whisk to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking occasionally, and allow the sauce to thicken. Turn off and serve sauce over chicken.
How to cook Pineapple Chicken in the Slow Cooker:
- Add all the 'instant pot' ingredients to the slow cooker- cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
- Once the time is up, add the cornstarch slurry to the crock pot, stir, cover and cook on high for 30 minutes and the sauce should thicken up!
Options on how serve Pineapple Chicken:
- Serve pineapple chicken whole over rice. Spoon the delicious sauce over the rice and chicken and enjoy a saucy rice bowl.
- Shred the chicken breasts, then serve shredded chicken over rice or quinoa.
- Shred chicken breasts and serve in lettuce wraps for a low carb option.
- Shred chicken breast and make a wrap using a tortilla. Add lettuce for an added crunch!
- Use shredded chicken breast over a big salad. Use the rest of the sauce as the dressing - YUM!
- Add rice, broccoli, shredded chicken, and sauce into a pineapple 'bowl' for an awesome presentation. This is definitely the most fun way to serve pineapple chicken!
How to Freeze:
- Using at least a 6qt Instant Pot, this pineapple chicken recipe definitely can be doubled. Using an 8qt instant pot the recipe can be tripled.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, and cooled, place portions (I like to do 5 cup portions) into freezer safe zip lock bags. Press flat and squeeze out all of the air. Place flat in freezer, freeze.
- Ready to eat?
- Remove frozen chicken from freezer the night before you’d like to serve it. Place in the refrigerator overnight, and it should be defrosted by the next day.
- TIP: Place frozen bag on a dish or in a baking dish. Occasionally freezer bags will leak, and this will avoid a mess all over the fridge.
- Remove frozen chicken from freezer the night before you’d like to serve it. Place in the refrigerator overnight, and it should be defrosted by the next day.
Is Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken Healthy?
Pineapple chicken is a healthier alternative to take-out and restaurant dishes where you might not know the ingredients going into the food. I suggest using a lower sugar BBQ sauce when making the sauce, such a Stubbs Original because it will save you a lot of calories and sugar than some other brands. With 291 calories, 11g of fat, 22g carbohydrates, and 28g protein per serving, it is a great option for someone watching what they are eating, and can be served in healthier ways such as in salads or in lettuce wraps.
- To reduce calories and fat further, try using a lighter coconut milk. It won't bring over all the coconut flavor, but it will drastically save calories and fat using an unsweetened version.
My favorite Instant Pot Recipes:
-
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken is an easy healthy meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes! Great for tacos, salads, rice bowls, or just plain!
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the perfect healthy chicken recipe! Make the spicy chicken in just minutes, then load up fresh lettuce wraps with your favorite toppings!
- Instant Pot Peanut Butter Cheesecake is a stunning dessert that comes together in no time! Not only is it amazingly easy, but it’s the best cheesecake EVER!
- Instant Pot Strawberry Jam has only four ingredients in this super simple and delicious!
- Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a delicious healthy meal that cooks in just 10 minutes! Simple to make, family friendly, and so tasty!
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Egg Loaf: In five minutes you can have a whole bunch of hardboiled eggs which are perfect for egg salad! No peeling or ice bath for this Instant Pot Hard Boiled Egg Loaf!
- Instant Pot Thai Lettuce Wraps (pork or chicken) can be made with pork or chicken in the instant pot or slow cooker! Juicy pork or chicken covered in an easy Thai peanut sauce makes the perfect healthy easy dinner!
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle soup is rich with flavor and takes only a fraction of the time to make. Warm up on a cold day with this major comfort food
Make sure you don’t miss a thing! Follow Domestic Superhero on:
Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken is an easy and delicious family friendly meal that is done in minutes and only uses one pot!
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups diced pineapple
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a can such as Thai Kitchen or Goya brands)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (I used Stubbs which is lower sugar)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 TBS cornstarch
- 1 TBS water
-
Add coconut milk, BBQ sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt to the pot of the instant pot. Whisk to combine. Add pineapple chunks and chicken breasts to pot. Mix to cover chicken with sauce.
-
Close the top, seal the pressure valve, and set on manual (high) pressure for 6 minutes.
-
When time is finished, let the instant pot 'naturally release' (do not flip valve) the pressure for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip the valve and then carefully remove the top.
-
Switch instant pot to 'saute' function. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. In a small cup add cornstarch and water, mix completely. Pour mixture into the instant pot and whisk to combine with sauce. Whisk occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Turn instant pot off.
-
Serve the chicken as desired topped with the sauce.
Recipe Video
291 calories, 11g of fat, 22g carbohydrates, and 28g protein per serving (5 servings)
Dorothy at Shockinglydelish
I love getting great IP recipe recommendations! Can't wait to try this one!
Delaney | Melanie Makes
This is a great summer dish!
Jamielyn Nye
So yummy with rice! Perfect summer dish!
Oh Sweet Basil
This looks like the perfect dinner! My kids will love it!
Abeer
This dish has all the ingredients I love!
Amy
I love that this is made in an instant pot! I have to give it a try!
Jessica Burgess
I just got an Instant Pot and I’m looking for more recipes for it, so this is perfect!
marianne
Made this tonight and it was delicious... a big hit! I was concerned I would get the dreaded 'burn' message because the sauce isn't really all that thin. It did take awhile to come to pressure and the chicken itself was a bit scorched on the bottom, but it finally pressurized and cooked just fine. That sauce is to die for! Thanks much for a great recipe...I'll be making it again.
Allyson
I am so glad it worked out for you. My sauce was pretty thin, did you add enough coconut milk? You could always thin it out a bit ore next time, because it thickens A LOT when you add the cornstarch at the end on the saute mode. You are so welcome!
Jessica
The days just get shorter it seems anymore... My Instant Pot and I are becoming SO close! LOL This is a dish I can get my girls to eat!
Jessica
Yum this sounds amazing!! Thanks for sharing!
Kimberly
That looks so yummy and it's a bonus that it's so simple to make!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity
I can't wait to give this a try! Looks really good for dinner any night!
Joanna
I noticed in the short video that accompanies this recipe that the pineapple is put in first at the bottom of the pot, chicken breasts layered on top of pineapple, then the sauce poured on top of everything. The written directions say to put the sauce ingredients in first. I was looking for the perfect first recipe to try in my new pot and I believe this is it! However, I’ve been reading tips about always putting the sauce on top to avoid the burn message and not to stir things up, just to layer. Should I follow the video (pineapple, chicken, sauce) or is it really ok to mix sauce first in the pot?
Allyson
Hi Joanna! Thanks for asking! It can be done either way, but it will get mixed up despite how you layer it because the pressure knocks everything around inside the pot. I always make my IP recipes with the sauce on the bottom, because the IP NEEDS the liquid to come to pressure. If you have too many solid ingredients on the bottom (such as full size chicken breasts) it won't come to pressure and it could burn. Add the sauce first, then the chicken or pineapple - up to you on the chicken and pineapple. I have never once had a burn signal on my IP and this has enough liquid that it shouldn't be an issue. Please let me know how it turns out! You should try these too - it's a no fail recipe and one of my most popular Instant Pot recipes!
Cindy
I don't have an instant pot, but this sounds delicious. Is there any conversion for making possibly in a crock pot or even in the oven?
Allyson
Definitely! Add all the 'instant pot' ingredients to the slow cooker- cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours. Once the time is up, add the cornstarch slurry to the crock pot, stir, cover and cook on high for 30 minutes and the sauce should thicken up!
Monika @ ispace1.com
very creative and unique, a dish served in pineapple!
Lori
Do you use fresh pineapple? Thank you!
Allyson
Either fresh or canned works!