Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken slow-cooked in sweet tangy pineapple sauce with Hawaiian flavors. Easy dinner solution.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup pineapple juice
03 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/2 cup ketchup
06 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
07 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
08 - 2 tablespoons water
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Vegetables & Fruit

11 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
13 - 1 medium onion, sliced
14 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, drained if canned

→ Garnish

15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - Sesame seeds for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker, ensuring pieces are evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Layer sliced onion, bell pepper pieces, and pineapple chunks evenly on top.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 4 to 5 hours, until chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove chicken and vegetables to a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil to maintain warmth while preparing sauce.
06 - Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Whisk cornstarch and water together, then gradually stir into simmering liquid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens noticeably.
07 - Pour thickened sauce over chicken and vegetables. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately accompanied by steamed rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates itself while you go about your day
  • Perfect balance of sweet and tangy that even kids request
  • Makes enough for leftovers or unexpected guests
02 -
  • The sauce will seem thin right out of the slow cooker, but the cornstarch step transforms it completely
  • Low and slow keeps the chicken from drying out, high heat makes it tough
  • Fresh pineapple adds so much more flavor than canned, though canned works in a pinch
03 -
  • Low sodium soy sauce lets you control the salt level better
  • Reserve some pineapple chunks to add fresh at the end for texture

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