Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken simmered in sweet-tangy pineapple sauce with bell peppers and ginger for an easy family dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
→ Vegetables and Fruit
02 - 1 large red bell pepper, cut into chunks
03 - 1 large green bell pepper, cut into chunks
04 - 1 small yellow onion, sliced
05 - 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve juice)
→ Sauce
06 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
07 - 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
08 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
09 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
14 - 2 tablespoons water (for cornstarch slurry)
→ Garnish
15 - Sliced green onions
16 - Sesame seeds
17 - Fresh cilantro
# How-To Steps:
01 - Arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Scatter the red and green bell pepper chunks, sliced onion, and drained pineapple chunks evenly over the chicken.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, minced garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
04 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and fork-tender.
05 - During the final 30 minutes of cooking, whisk the cornstarch with water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker. Allow the sauce to thicken before serving.
06 - Serve hot over steamed white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce basically builds itself while you are at work or running errands, and it tastes like you spent hours hovering over a stove.
- Chicken thighs come out so tender they practically fall apart, and the sweetness from the pineapple wins over even picky eaters.
02 -
- Do not lift the lid during cooking to check on it, every peek adds about 15 minutes to the cook time and lets precious moisture escape.
- Using chicken thighs instead of breasts was a game changer for me, they stay incredibly tender even if you accidentally leave the crockpot on an hour too long.
03 -
- Drain the pineapple chunks well but do not rinse them, you want that concentrated juice for mixing into the sauce.
- If you are short on time in the morning, mix the sauce the night before and store it in the fridge so all you have to do is dump and go.