Here’s a sweet-savory Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken 🍍🍗 — tender, juicy, and perfect over rice.
🍍🍗 Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
- 1 can (20 oz / 565 g) pineapple chunks with juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (or ½ tsp ground ginger)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (optional, adds richness)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- Add to slow cooker
- Place chicken in the slow cooker.
- Add pineapple with juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and ketchup.
- Cook
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until chicken is very tender.
- Shred or slice
- Remove chicken, shred or slice, then return it to the slow cooker.
- Thicken sauce (optional)
- Stir cornstarch slurry into the sauce.
- Cover and cook another 10–15 minutes until thickened.
- Serve
- Serve over steamed rice.
- Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
💡 Tips for Best Flavor
- Chicken thighs stay extra juicy.
- Low-sodium soy sauce helps control saltiness.
- Extra tang: Add 1–2 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice.
- Veggies: Add bell peppers or onions during the last hour.
🌟 Variations
- Spicy Hawaiian chicken: Add red pepper flakes or Sriracha.
- Teriyaki-style: Replace ketchup with hoisin sauce.
- Pineapple BBQ: Swap soy sauce for BBQ sauce.
If you want, I can also give you a dump-and-go version, an Instant Pot method, or a baked Hawaiian chicken with caramelized pineapple 🍍😋
