Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Print)
Tender pineapple and soy-glazed chicken slow-cooked with bell peppers and ginger for an easy, family-friendly 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, juice reserved
→ Sauce and Seasonings
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 slow cooker.
02 - Scatter the red and green bell pepper chunks, sliced onion, and drained pineapple chunks over the chicken.
03 - 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 dissolves. Pour the sauce 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 - For a richer, thicker sauce, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Stir it into the slow cooker during the final 30 minutes of cooking and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken.
06 - Serve the chicken and sauce hot over steamed white rice or your preferred side. Finish with a scattering of sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It basically cooks itself while you live your life, and the house smells absolutely incredible the entire time.
- The sweet and tangy sauce soaks into every bite of chicken, making even plain white rice feel like a celebration.
02 -
- Do not skip draining the pineapple but do save the juice, because you need it for the sauce and losing it means losing half the flavor.
- Chicken thighs are dramatically more forgiving than breasts in a slow cooker and will never dry out even if you forget about them for an extra hour.
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry before placing it in the slow cooker so the sauce does not get watered down by excess moisture from the packaging.
- Layer the vegetables on top of the chicken rather than underneath, because everything on the bottom cooks faster and you want the chicken to get the most direct heat.