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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken made with pineapple-teriyaki sauce and tender chicken thighs. Slow-cooked for juicy texture, then thickened into a glossy glaze to spoon over coconut 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: Hawaiian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and pineapple sauce
  • 5 boneless chicken thighs Use boneless thighs (4–6).
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks in juice Drain and reserve the juice for the sauce; add the pineapple chunks to the cooker.
  • 0.333 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 garlic Minced (about 4 cloves).
  • 1 tsp ginger Grated (about 1 tsp).
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch For slurry.
  • 2 tbsp water For slurry.
  • 1 coconut rice For serving.
  • 1 green onions Sliced, for serving.
  • 1 sesame seeds For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Mix sauce
  1. Whisk reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until the brown sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
Slow-cook chicken
  1. Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker and arrange them in an even layer so they cook uniformly.
  2. Pour the sauce over the chicken and scatter pineapple chunks throughout.
  3. Cook on Low 4-5 hours, or High 2-2.5 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily pulls apart.
Thicken sauce and finish
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and stir the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch whisked with water) into the remaining sauce.
  2. Cook on High 15 minutes, stirring once, until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency that coats a spoon.
  3. Return chicken to the slow cooker to warm through, then serve over coconut rice with green onions and sesame seeds on top.

Notes

For the deepest pineapple flavor, drain the pineapple chunks well but keep the reserved juice measured exactly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently in a covered pan or microwave until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze chicken and sauce up to 2 months, then thaw overnight and reheat; stir well before serving. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar brown sugar substitute (measure to match sweetness) and keep cornstarch/timing the same for proper thickening.