Chicken breasts made super tender in the slow cooker, smothered in a rich sweet and savory sauce. Serve up with rice for a hearty, delicious and easy weeknight dinner!
Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
There’s something about the mix of pineapple and chicken which works so well, that juicy sweet pop of pineapple with the tender chicken – it’s divine!
This healthy chicken recipe serves up a flavor explosion! Savory and sweet ingredients come together in the crockpot, to create a rich and satisfying dinner that kids and adults will adore!
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Why not also try my Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup and my Crockpot Chicken Fried Rice!
Why You’ll Love this Hawaiian Chicken Crockpot Recipe:
- Healthy: Protein packed chicken with nutrient rich fruit and veggies – yummy and loaded with goodness
- Sweet and Savory: Everything a smothered in a salty, savory, tangy and sweet sauce – so good!
- Tender Chicken: Bite sized chicken made melt in the mouth tender from the slow cooker.
Kids will go crazy for this vibrant chicken dinner, loaded with pineapple chunks and diced bell peppers.
How to Make Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Add your sauce ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Add in your chicken and bell peppers.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
- Add in cornstarch mixture, cook for a further 15 mins.
- Serve and enjoy!
Hawaiian chicken is a cross between pineapple chicken and sweet and sour chicken, featuring pineapple and veggie stir fry with a sticky sweet and sour sauce.
Pineapple contains an enzyme called Bromelain, which is excellent at breaking down proteins and connective tissues. Marinating the chicken in a pineapple sauce yields tender breast meat with a texture closer to that of chicken thighs.
Yes, you can! Sub in an equal amount of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the breast meat.
To make this recipe in a Dutch oven, preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly sauté the peppers, then add the marinated chicken and lightly brown it. Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are 165°F internally. Add the cornstarch during the last 15 minutes of baking.
Only a few simple ingredients needed. You can throw it all in slow cooker in the morning and have a delicious meal ready for dinner!
Storage Instructions
Store leftover crockpot Hawaiian chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze crockpot Hawaiian chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow chicken to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Variations
- Meat: Substitute pork or turkey chunks for the chicken, keeping the cooking time the same.
- Veggies: Add hearty vegetables in with the peppers, and add softer, more tender veggies in the last hour of cooking.
- Spice: To make this dish spicier, add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. You could also add 1 chopped jalapeño pepper.
Make It A Meal
Serve crockpot Hawaiian chicken with plain white rice and garnish with chopped green onions.
Tender morsels of chicken breast, in a delicious sweet and savory sauce, loaded with pineapples and bell peppers – this slow cooker Hawaiian chicken comes together so easily. It’s a delicious meal to greet you at the end of a hectic day!
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 ounces pineapple chunks 1 standard can
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce see note
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For Garnish
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the pineapple, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, onion, brown sugar, garlic, and ground ginger to the slow cooker. Whisk to combine.20 ounces pineapple chunks, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup ketchup, ¼ cup finely chopped onion, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Add in the chicken and bell peppers and give everything a good stir.2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
- During the last 20-30 minutes of cooking, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pour the mixture into the slow cooker to continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has thickened.
- Serve with rice. Sprinkle chopped green onions and sesame seeds on top.Chopped green onions, Sesame seeds
Notes
- Storage: Store crockpot Hawaiian chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Soy Sauce: Use an equal amount of tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten free alternative.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve crockpot Hawaiian chicken with plain white rice and garnish with chopped green onions.
Grace says
Don’t have rice vinegar what else can I use
Becky Hardin says
White wine vinegar will work!
Denise says
So bad. Threw it all out.
Becky Hardin says
I am sorry to hear, Denise
T says
This was DELICIOUS and so easy to make! I kept it refined sugar free by using no added sugar ketchup and honey instead of brown sugar and it tasted great
Becky Hardin says
Thanks so much for sharing the modifications that worked for you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!