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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken with tender shredded thighs simmered in a pineapple-ginger teriyaki-style sauce. Slow-cooked until very tender, then thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry for glossy, spoonable flavor over white rice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Pineapple chunks
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks with juice
Teriyaki-style sauce
  • 0.333 cup soy sauce
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Cornstarch slurry
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
Garnish and serving
  • 1 green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 cooked white rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken and scatter the pineapple chunks on top.
  4. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours until the chicken is very tender (visible juices should look thick and syrupy around the edges).
Shred and thicken the sauce
  1. Remove the chicken and shred into large pieces, keeping the sauce in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together, then stir into the slow cooker and cook on high for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon).
  3. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat well.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken over cooked white rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds for garnish.

Notes

For the best sauce texture, make sure the cornstarch slurry is fully whisked smooth before adding, and let it heat on high long enough to visibly thicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3–4 days; freeze up to 2 months. Dietary swap: use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option if needed.