Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable)
Tangy-sweet chicken slow-cooked with pineapple and bell peppers. Minimal effort, maximum flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large chunks
→ Vegetables & Fruit
02 - 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
03 - 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
05 - 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve juice)
→ Sauce
06 - 3/4 cup pineapple juice (from reserved can)
07 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
08 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 1/4 cup ketchup
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
14 - 2 tablespoons water (only if thickening sauce)
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
# How to Make It:
01 - Place chicken pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker, distributing evenly for uniform cooking.
02 - Scatter chopped bell peppers, onion, and drained pineapple chunks over the chicken in an even layer.
03 - Whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves completely.
04 - Pour sauce mixture evenly over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours until chicken shreds easily with a fork.
05 - Optional: In the last 20 minutes, whisk cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Stir into slow cooker, cover, and cook until sauce reaches desired consistency.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot over steamed rice, garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Set it and forget it cooking that lets you walk away until dinner time
- That incredible sweet and savory sauce that people will ask you to bottle and sell
02 -
- The sauce will be thin when you first pour it but it reduces beautifully as it cooks
- Thighs really do give you the most tender results but I have made this with breasts dozens of times
03 -
- Grate your ginger against a microplane so it practically melts into the sauce
- Save some extra pineapple juice in case you want to thin the sauce later