Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Chicken

Posted on by August 27, 2025

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Chicken

Those busy days scream for an easy recipe and slow cooker brown sugar chicken is one that fits the bill. This one became an instant hit the very first time we prepared it.

Deep South Dish

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Chicken

Four basic ingredients and the use of a crock pot make this a great meal for the busy times. It is certainly easier to do since this is so good.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs skin removed
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning like Slap Ya Mama, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 6 ounce can pineapple juice
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water

Equipment

  • slow cooker

Method
 

  1. Remove skin from chicken and season lightly with the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and garlic powder.
  2. Pat seasoning into chicken and place into the slow cooker.
  3. Whisk together the brown sugar, pineapple juice and soy sauce; pour around chicken.
  4. Cover and cook on low for about 5 to 6 hours, depending on the size.
  5. Use a wide spatula to remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil; set aside to prepare the glaze.
  6. Turn cooker to high until mixture comes to a boil, or transfer to a saucepan for the stovetop. Whisk together the water and cornstarch until there are no lumps.
  7. Slowly stir into the boiling sauce until fully incorporated and continue boiling for about 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture thickens.
  8. Remove from heat and let rest a moment.
  9. Brush the sauce over each chicken thigh and serve the remaining sauce at the table.

We had some skeptics with the inclusion of pineapple juice on this one, but since it was chicken judgment was withheld. They also understand the house rule and new there would be nothing else served for dinner. We followed along with removing the skin on the chicken before throwing it in the crock pot.

Hopefully slow cooker brown sugar chicken can find a way to make it to your menu. I am sure that it will be a great way to add some more chicken to the dinner plates. Bonus is that you can buy pineapple chunks or a whole pineapple and have some fruit to eat.