Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable)
Tender slow-cooked chicken with pineapple, bell peppers and a sweet-tangy glaze for simple family dinners.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
→ Vegetables & 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 Make It:
01 - Arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer across the bottom of the crockpot.
02 - Scatter the red and green bell pepper chunks, sliced onion, and drained pineapple chunks 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 well combined. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the crockpot.
04 - Cover the crockpot 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 - For a thicker sauce, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Stir it into the crockpot during the final 30 minutes of cooking.
06 - Serve hot over steamed white rice or your preferred side dish. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, or fresh cilantro as desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while you go about your day, and the smell when you walk back through the door is unreal.
- Chicken thighs come out so tender they fall apart with just a fork, soaking up every bit of that sweet tangy pineapple glaze.
02 -
- Do not skip draining the pineapple chunks, because extra liquid will water down your sauce and leave you with a soupy mess instead of that gorgeous glaze.
- I once tried cranking the crockpot to HIGH when I was short on time but opened the lid every hour to check, and it added almost two extra hours because all the heat kept escaping.
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry before putting it in the crockpot, because excess moisture on the surface prevents the sauce from really penetrating the meat during that long slow cook.
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice right at the end brightens everything up and makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is.