Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken (Printable Version)

Sweet, tangy slow-cooked chicken with pineapple, bell peppers and ginger - an easy family dinner served over rice.

# 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 - Place the chicken pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer the red and green bell peppers, onion slices, and drained pineapple chunks evenly over 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 dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
03 - Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover 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.
04 - For a thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch together with the water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker during the final 30 minutes of cooking and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken.
05 - Serve hot over steamed white or jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro as desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce basically builds itself while you are at work or watching your kids practice soccer in the backyard.
  • Chicken thighs come out so tender they fall apart with just a fork, and the sweetness pairs beautifully with steamed rice.
  • Cleanup is almost nonexistent since everything cooks in one pot from start to finish.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid during cooking to check on it because every peek adds roughly 15 minutes to the cook time as the heat escapes.
  • If you are using chicken breasts instead of thighs, check at the shorter end of the cook window so the meat does not dry out.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day after the flavors have had time to marry in the fridge.
03 -
  • Dice the chicken into large bite sized pieces before adding to the slow cooker so every piece gets coated in sauce and cooks evenly.
  • Reserve a few tablespoons of the raw sauce mixture before pouring it over the chicken and use it as a quick marinade if you want to sear the chicken first for deeper flavor.

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