Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken Recipe
Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken is a delightful slow-cooked dish featuring tender chicken breasts simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce made with pineapple, soy sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and ginger. This easy-to-make recipe brings tropical flavors to your dinner table with minimal prep and a hands-off cooking process, perfect for busy weeknights or gatherings. Serve it over rice, in tacos, or with fresh sides to enjoy a delicious meal everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes to 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves approximately 4 people 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Pineapple
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
Sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Thickening Mixture
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of the crockpot, making sure they are arranged evenly for consistent cooking.
- Add Pineapple: Spread the pineapple chunks evenly on top of the chicken breasts to infuse the dish with sweet tropical flavor.
- Mix the Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes until fully combined to create the flavorful sauce.
- Combine Everything: Pour the prepared sauce mixture evenly over the chicken and pineapple in the crockpot to ensure all pieces are coated.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot with its lid and cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the crockpot and place them on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces to allow better absorption of the sauce.
- Thicken Sauce: Mix the cornstarch with water in a small bowl until smooth. Pour this mixture into the crockpot sauce and stir well to combine, then cover again.
- Final Cook: Cook on high for an additional 10 to 15 minutes to thicken the sauce to a rich, luscious consistency.
- Serve: Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot, stir it into the thickened sauce, and serve warm over steamed rice or your favorite side dish for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use fresh garlic and ginger for the most vibrant flavor.
- Adjust the amount of brown sugar to suit your preferred sweetness level.
- Marinate the chicken in the sauce overnight for deeper flavor infusion.
- Shred the chicken while it is hot to help it soak up more sauce.
- Stir the cornstarch mixture thoroughly when adding to avoid lumps in the sauce.
- Experiment with fresh or canned pineapple for different flavor profiles.
- Do not overcrowd the crockpot; stick to the recommended chicken amount for even cooking.
- Do not skip the cornstarch step to avoid a watery sauce.
Keywords: Sweet Hawaiian Chicken, Crockpot Chicken, Slow Cooker Chicken, Pineapple Chicken, Easy Hawaiian Recipe, Crockpot Dinner, Tropical Chicken
