Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken slow-cooked in sweet tangy pineapple sauce with Hawaiian flavors for easy dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup pineapple juice
03 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/2 cup ketchup
06 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
07 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
08 - 2 tablespoons water
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Vegetables & Fruit

11 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
13 - 1 medium onion, sliced
14 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, drained

→ Garnish

15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - Sesame seeds for sprinkling

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker, ensuring even distribution for consistent cooking.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
04 - Layer the sliced onions, bell pepper pieces, and pineapple chunks over the sauced chicken.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 4 to 5 hours, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and is fork-tender.
06 - Transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil to maintain warmth.
07 - In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth and no lumps remain.
08 - Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
09 - Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately over steamed rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce thickens into something you will want to put on everything
  • Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next time around
02 -
  • The sauce will look thin when you first pour it into the crockpot but that cornstarch step changes everything
  • Marinating the chicken for 30 minutes beforehand adds depth but it still turns out beautifully without it
03 -
  • Cut your bell peppers and onions into similar sized pieces so everything cooks evenly
  • If the sauce seems too thick after adding the cornstarch whisk in a splash more pineapple juice

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