Sweet Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken simmered in sweet pineapple sauce with bell peppers and ginger for a flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup pineapple juice
03 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
05 - 1/2 cup ketchup
06 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
07 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
08 - 2 tablespoons water for slurry
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

→ Vegetables & Fruit

11 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
13 - 1 medium onion, sliced
14 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks or canned, drained

→ Optional Garnish

15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - Sesame seeds

# How To Cook:

01 - Arrange the chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken.
03 - Distribute the onion, bell peppers, and pineapple chunks over the chicken and sauce.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.
06 - Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
07 - Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce transforms into this impossibly sticky glaze that coats every single piece of chicken
  • Its one of those rare meals that tastes like you spent hours over a stove when you really just dumped ingredients in a pot
  • The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they make it that far
02 -
  • The sauce will taste way too salty before cooking—thats normal, the sweetness balances out as it simmers
  • Cornstarch needs to hit hot liquid to activate, but if you dump it directly into the slow cooker it will clump up
  • Fresh pineapple contains enzymes that can break down protein if marinated too long, so dont let it sit in the sauce for more than an hour before cooking
03 -
  • Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the slow cooker—excess moisture keeps the sauce from sticking to the meat
  • Let the sauce simmer for the full 2 to 3 minutes after adding the cornstarch, otherwise it will taste chalky

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