Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable Version)

Slow-cooked Hawaiian-style chicken with pineapple, bell peppers, and a sweet-tangy soy glaze.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

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

# Directions:

01 - Arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker. Scatter the red and green bell pepper chunks, sliced onion, and drained pineapple chunks over the top of the chicken.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
03 - Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Secure the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - During the final 30 minutes of cooking, whisk the cornstarch together with the water in a small bowl to form a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker, replace the lid, and allow the sauce to thicken.
05 - Ladle the chicken and sauce over steamed white or jasmine rice. Finish with sliced green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro leaves as desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce does all the heavy lifting, sweet and tangy and sticky in the best way, with zero babysitting required.
  • It converts even the picky eaters at your table because everything tastes better wrapped in pineapple and brown sugar.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, which means lunch the next day feels like a gift you gave your future self.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid to check on it during cooking. Every peek releases heat and adds roughly 15 to 20 minutes to your cook time, which I learned the hard way after checking seven times in one afternoon.
  • Drain the pineapple well but save every drop of that juice. The sauce relies on it, and once I poured it down the sink by mistake and spent the evening trying to compensate with water and extra sugar.
03 -
  • Toss the chicken with a tablespoon of cornstarch before putting it in the slow cooker for an even thicker, glossier finish without any extra effort at the end.
  • Brown sugar clumps should be crushed with your fingers before whisking. Undissolved sugar pockets sink to the bottom and create uneven sweetness throughout the pot.

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