This Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken recipe is your new best friend for busy weeknights. It delivers incredibly tender, flavorful chicken with a delightful sweet and savory glaze, all made with minimal effort in your slow cooker.
Key Ingredients for Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 1 cup Sweet Hawaiian dressing (like Ken’s Foods or a homemade version)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening the sauce)
- 1/4 cup cold water (if using cornstarch)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional garnishes: chopped green onions, sesame seeds, pineapple chunks
How to Make Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
Get ready for a melt-in-your-mouth experience with this incredibly easy Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken. This dish is a true crowd-pleaser, boasting a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy sauce that infuses the chicken with irresistible flavor. With just a few simple ingredients and your trusty slow cooker, you’ll have a satisfying and delicious meal ready with minimal prep time, typically around 10-15 minutes of hands-on work, and 3-4 hours of slow cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts or thighs dry with paper towels. Season them generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Combine Ingredients: Place the seasoned chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the undrained crushed pineapple, Sweet Hawaiian dressing, soy sauce, and brown sugar until well combined.
- Pour Over Chicken: Pour the pineapple mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker. Ensure the chicken is mostly submerged in the liquid for optimal flavor infusion.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. The exact cooking time will depend on your slow cooker and the thickness of your chicken pieces.
- Thicken the Sauce (Optional): If you prefer a thicker sauce, about 15-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and set it aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Pour this slurry into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker, stir well, and cook on high for the remaining time, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Return the chicken to the slow cooker to coat in the thickened sauce.
- Shred the Chicken: Once cooked, you can either serve the chicken whole, or for a more shredded consistency, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce to coat thoroughly.
- Serve: Serve the Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken hot, spooning extra sauce over the chicken. It pairs wonderfully with steamed rice, quinoa, or your favorite side vegetables. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
You’ll fall head over heels for this Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken because of its unbelievably tender and juicy chicken, enveloped in a luscious, craveable sweet and tangy glaze that’s a step above your average teriyaki. Making this dish at home is incredibly budget-friendly, allowing you to skip expensive takeout and still enjoy restaurant-quality flavors without breaking the bank. The delightful combination of sweet pineapple, savory soy sauce, and brown sugar creates a symphony of taste that’s simply irresistible, especially when topped with fresh green onions for a pop of freshness.
Forget the complex steps of other slow cooker meals; this one is almost entirely hands-off, freeing up your precious time without sacrificing a single ounce of flavor. It’s like a shortcut to a gourmet meal without the gourmet price tag or effort, offering a taste experience that rivals even the most popular Hawaiian-inspired dishes at your favorite restaurants, but with the comfort of your own kitchen. Give this Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken a try today and prepare to be delighted!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Properly storing your Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken ensures its delicious flavor and tender texture remain for future meals.
- Refrigeration: Once cooled, transfer any leftover Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken and its sauce to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze the cooked chicken and sauce. Place it in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag. Frozen, it can last for 2-3 months.
- Reheating:
- Stovetop: The best method for reheating is on the stovetop. Gently warm the chicken and sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much during storage.
- Microwave: You can also reheat in the microwave. Place the chicken and sauce in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat in 30-60 second intervals, stirring in between, until hot.
- Thawing (from frozen): Thaw frozen Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Final Thoughts
This Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken is a true testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary flavor with minimal effort. We encourage you to give this wonderfully easy recipe a try for a delightful and stress-free meal that your whole family will adore.
Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the chicken breasts or thighs dry with paper towels. Season them generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, to taste salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper
- Place the seasoned chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker.2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the undrained crushed pineapple, Sweet Hawaiian dressing, soy sauce, and brown sugar until well combined.1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained, 1 cup Sweet Hawaiian dressing, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Pour the pineapple mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker. Ensure the chicken is mostly submerged in the liquid for optimal flavor infusion.1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained, 1 cup Sweet Hawaiian dressing, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, about 15-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and set it aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Pour this slurry into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker, stir well, and cook on high for the remaining time, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Return the chicken to the slow cooker to coat in the thickened sauce.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/4 cup cold water, 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Once cooked, you can either serve the chicken whole, or for a more shredded consistency, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce to coat thoroughly.2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Serve the Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken hot, spooning extra sauce over the chicken. It pairs wonderfully with steamed rice, quinoa, or your favorite side vegetables. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired.chopped green onions, sesame seeds, pineapple chunks