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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken with pull-apart tender chicken in a sticky golden pineapple teriyaki sauce. Cook low and slow until the sauce thickens into a clinging glaze with visible pineapple chunks over fluffy rice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
  • 0.3333333333 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 steamed rice for serving
  • 1 sesame seeds for serving
  • 1 sliced green onions for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, then pour the mixture over the chicken so it’s well coated.
  3. Add the pineapple chunks on top for visible bursts of fruit as it cooks.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded (cue: the liquid should be bubbling gently and the chicken should pull apart).
Thicken into a glaze
  1. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker, then stir in the cornstarch slurry until no dry streaks remain (cue: the mixture looks evenly cloudy).
  2. Cook on HIGH uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze that clings to the chicken (cue: thicker, shiny sauce coats a spoon).
Serve
  1. Serve the pineapple chicken over steamed rice, then garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions for the finishing crunch and color.

Notes

For best caramelization, keep the lid on during the first cook and only uncover for the final 20-30 minutes to thicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days and reheat until hot; the chicken freezes up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). If you want a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar to 2 tbsp and add an extra 1 tbsp pineapple juice to keep the sauce balanced.