Sweet Hawaiian Chicken Dish (Printable Version)

Tender chicken simmered with pineapple and bell peppers for a tangy-sweet Hawaiian-inspired main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large chunks

→ Vegetables & Fruit

02 - 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
03 - 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
05 - 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve juice)

→ Sauce

06 - 3/4 cup pineapple juice (from reserved can)
07 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
08 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 1/4 cup ketchup
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
14 - 2 tablespoons water (only if thickening sauce)

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - Arrange chicken pieces in the bottom of your slow cooker
02 - Scatter chopped bell peppers, onion, and pineapple chunks evenly over the chicken
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar until well combined
04 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken and vegetables
05 - Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6-7 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded with a fork
06 - For a thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. In the last 20 minutes of cooking, stir the slurry into the slow cooker, cover, and cook until the sauce thickens
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, over steamed rice or with your favorite sides

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • You can dump everything in the slow cooker before work and come home to a dinner that tastes like you spent hours babysitting a stove
  • The balance of sweet pineapple and savory soy sauce hits that perfect takeout craving spot without the MSG headache or waiting for delivery
02 -
  • The sauce will taste too sweet before cooking, but the long slow time mellows the sugar into something balanced and perfect
  • If you are not thickening the sauce, the liquid might look thin but do not worry because it clings beautifully to rice and absorbs into the chicken
03 -
  • If your chicken releases a lot of liquid during cooking, you can skim some fat off the top before thickening the sauce for a lighter result
  • Fresh ginger keeps in the freezer forever, so I always buy a big knob, grate it all at once, and store it in portion sized bags for recipes like this

Go Back