Updated in 2023! Sometimes, you just need easy, naturally dairy-free and allergy-friendly meals. This slow cooker sweet and tangy chicken is the perfect option. It’s made with lean boneless skinless chicken, uses everyday pantry ingredients for flavor, and even has some veggies thrown in. Plus, it all cooks in your crockpot and requires just 5 minutes of preparation!
Allergy Friendly made Easy with Slow Cooker Sweet & Tangy Chicken
This recipe was originally shared with us by Sue, back when she wrote the blog Living My Dream. It was a part of her food allergy birthday party menu, but she admits it makes a great family-friendly meal any night. We’ve since updated her recipe, and I have answers to some FAQs.
Does Barbecue Sauce Contain Dairy or Other Top Allergens?
It’s not extremely common, but barbecue sauce can contain dairy. I’ve seen brands with whey, butter, or lactose. But I typically don’t have problems finding dairy-free options at any grocery store. Barbecue sauce can contain other top allergens, the most common being soy, gluten, or sesame. But there are many top allergen-free versions out there. As always, check the label and contact the company if concerned about potential cross contamination.
How Can I Reduce the Sugar in this Recipe?
The sugar is in the pineapple and barbecue sauce. The pineapple contains some natural sugars, and I recommend using pineapple in 100% juice to avoid added sugars. Barbecue sauce tends to be quite high in added sugars. Look for varieties with lower added sugars. The amount of sugar can vary widely by type, even within the same brand. You can even get brands with low or no added sugar, like Primal Kitchen.
What Size Crockpot Do I Need?
Since this does make quite a bit, a larger 7- to 10-quart slow cooker is ideal. For mid-size 4- to 6-quart slow cookers, you can half the recipe.
How Can I Make this Sweet & Tangy Chicken a Mini Cooker?
If you only have a small slow cooker, whisk the barbecue sauce and pineapple together in an airtight container. Mince 1 garlic clove and dice some bell pepper and onion. Place one chicken breast in your cooker, sprinkle it with some garlic and vegetables, and top with some sauce. Layer on a second chicken breast, the remaining garlic and vegetables, and some more sauce. Store the remaining sauce in your refrigerator for up to 1 week. Mini cookers tend to cook faster, so it might only take 4 to 6 hours.
 Can I Make Sweet & Tangy Chicken in the Oven?
You certainly can! Place the ingredients in an oven-safe dish with a lid. A Dutch oven works great if you have one. Cover and bake the dish at 325°F for about 2 hours or 350°F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. This is also a great cooking option if you are going to half or quarter the recipe.
Special Diet Notes: Sweet & Tangy Chicken
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and soy-free. Just be sure to choose a barbecue sauce that suits your dietary needs.
- 2 (18-ounce) bottles barbecue sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can pineapple chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- In a large bowl, mix together the barbecue sauce, pineapple with juice, green bell pepper, onion, and garlic.
- Arrange 4 of the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour half of the barbecue sauce over the chicken. Place the remaining chicken in your slow cooker, and pour the remaining sauce over the top.
- Cover and cook the chicken on low for 8 to 9 hours.
Keep that Crockpot Cooking with Dairy-Free Boeuf Bourguignon
1 Comment
I can’t believe no one has commented on this. This is a fantastic recipe. It’s now a frequent dish in our house.