Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable)

Tangy-sweet chicken slow-cooked with pineapple and bell peppers. Minimal prep, maximum flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

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

# Steps:

01 - Arrange chicken pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Scatter chopped bell peppers, onion, and pineapple chunks evenly over the chicken.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar until smooth.
04 - Pour sauce mixture evenly over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6-7 hours until chicken is tender and easily shredded.
05 - For thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch and water to make slurry. Stir into slow cooker during last 20 minutes, cover, and cook until sauce thickens.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot over steamed rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Set it and forget it cooking that lets you go about your day while dinner essentially makes itself
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between tangy, sweet, and savory that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
02 -
  • The sauce will look thin when you first pour it in, but it reduces and concentrates beautifully as it cooks
  • Fresh ginger makes a massive difference compared to ground, so please grate it yourself
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into uniform chunks so everything cooks at the same rate
  • If you like heat, add sriracha directly to the sauce before pouring it over

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