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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken with tender shredded thighs simmered in a pineapple teriyaki-style sauce. Slow-cooked low-and-slow for fall-apart texture, then thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry.
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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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and pineapple base
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks with juice
Teriyaki-style sauce
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Thickener and serving
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 0.5 green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 cooked white rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the crockpot
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Spread them in an even layer so they cook uniformly.
  2. Whisk together pineapple chunks with juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and scatter pineapple chunks on top.
Slow-cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours until the chicken is very tender. Keep the lid on during cooking to maintain temperature.
  2. Remove the chicken and shred it into large pieces. Return it to the sauce later to keep it juicy.
Thicken and serve
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  2. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve over cooked white rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For best texture, shred the chicken while it’s hot and return it promptly so it absorbs the sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much. Freezing is OK for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming. For a lower-sugar swap, use 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar alternative or reduce by 1–2 tbsp and expect slightly thinner sauce (still thicken with the cornstarch).