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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken made with slow-cooked tender chicken thighs in a teriyaki-style pineapple sauce. The sauce thickens with a quick cornstarch slurry so it clings to shredded chicken and steams beautifully over 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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Pineapple teriyaki sauce
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks with juice
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Thickening slurry
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
Serving and garnish
  • 1 green onions
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 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 from the can, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, apple cider vinegar, 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 on high for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
Shred and thicken the sauce
  1. Remove the chicken and shred into large pieces or slice.
  2. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir it into the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on high for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and looks glossy.
Serve
  1. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat.
  2. Serve over cooked white rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For best flavor, fully dissolve the packed brown sugar into the pineapple-tinged sauce before adding it to the slow cooker. Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot throughout. Freeze for up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat and stir to recoat the chicken. For a lower-sugar option, use a 1:1 brown-sugar substitute (or reduce brown sugar slightly) while keeping the cornstarch slurry the same to maintain the sauce texture.