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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken with pineapple-teriyaki flavor, slow-cooked until tender, then finished with a quick cornstarch slurry for a glossy sauce. Perfect over coconut rice with pineapple chunks, green onions, and sesame seeds.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken
  • 5 boneless chicken thighs Use 4–6 total thighs; adjust sauce seasoning if you vary the amount.
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve juice) Reserve the juice for the sauce base; keep chunks for serving.
  • 0.333 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water Make a slurry; stir before adding back to the sauce.
  • 1 coconut rice For serving.
  • 1 green onions For serving.
  • 1 sesame seeds For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Make the pineapple-teriyaki sauce
  1. Whisk reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until smooth and fully combined.
Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over top, then add the pineapple chunks.
  2. Cook on Low for 4-5 hours (or on High for 2-2.5 hours) until the chicken is tender and easily pulls apart.
Thicken and finish
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce until evenly dispersed.
  2. Turn the slow cooker to High and cook for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
  3. Return chicken to the slow cooker and serve over coconut rice with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For best texture, keep the lid on during the Low cook and only remove the lid briefly to thicken the sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freeze cooked chicken and sauce for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce and ensure your ketchup is gluten-free if needed.