Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken offers a low effort dinner with high reward. Tender chunks of chicken, juicy bits of pineapple, bell peppers, and onions are cooked in a tangy sweet and sour pineapple sauce.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice (drain and reserve the juice)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup pineapple juice (from canned pineapple chunks)
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup soy sauce (low sodium recommended)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- cooked rice, for serving
- sliced green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Drain pineapple juice from the can into a measuring cup, you should have about ¾ cup. If you have less, add water or chicken broth to make ¾ cup.1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice
- For easy clean up, spray the inside of the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Add the chicken, bell peppers, onion, and drained pineapple chunks to the crockpot.4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-sized cubes, 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces, 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces, 1 medium sweet onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and ginger until well combined. Pour sauce over the chicken and vegetables; stir to combine.¾ cup pineapple juice, ½ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed, 1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
- Cover the crockpot and cook on Low for 4 hours, or on High for 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- About 30 minutes before serving (see note), mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry.¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup water
- Turn the crockpot to High. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the crockpot, cover, and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes to thicken.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve the sweet Hawaiian chicken over cooked rice, garnished with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Cook time clarification: If you're cooking the Hawaiian chicken on High, you can add the cornstarch slurry after it's cooked for 2 ½ hours. After you stir in the slurry, continue cooking on High for 30 minutes. If you're cooking the chicken on Low, add the cornstarch slurry after 3 ½ hours, turn the slow cooker to High, and cook an additional 30 minutes.
- Add spice: For little spicy heat in your Hawaiian chicken, add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste) to the sauce. Sriracha sauce is another good option.
- Storage: Promptly refrigerate leftover sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken in an airtight; it will keep for up to 4 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- Make ahead idea: This recipe freezes well before cooking, too. Assemble all the ingredients (except the cornstarch and water) in a resealable freezer bag, press out the air, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then cook according to the recipe instructions.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1318mg | Potassium: 1515mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 1731IU | Vitamin C: 112mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg
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