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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken made in a slow cooker for pull-apart tender thighs in a sticky golden pineapple teriyaki sauce. Caramelized sauce thickens into a glaze with visible pineapple chunks—served over fluffy rice with sesame and green onions.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Use thawed for best shredding.
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained Reserve 1/2 cup juice for the sauce.
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with water for slurry.
  • 3 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 1 steamed rice For serving (amount to taste).
  • 1 sesame seeds For garnishing.
  • 1 sliced green onions For garnishing.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the chicken (set and forget)
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker in a single layer. Spread them out so they cook evenly.
  2. Whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, then pour over the chicken. The mixture should look glossy and pourable.
  3. Add the pineapple chunks on top of the chicken. Keep most pieces above the liquid so you can see them later.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours) until the chicken is tender and easily shredded. You should see steady bubbling around the edges and the sauce turning deeper golden.
Glaze and serve
  1. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker with two forks, then stir to coat every shred. The sauce should cling and look sticky.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, then cook on HIGH uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glaze. Watch for a glossy, slow-moving coating that clings to the chicken.
  3. Serve the chicken over steamed rice and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. The final bowl should show pineapple chunks and thick golden sauce over the rice.

Notes

Pro tip: Reserve the pineapple juice and whisk it thoroughly with the soy sauce and seasonings so the glaze caramelizes evenly during the uncovered high-heat step. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave until hot and saucy. Freezing is not recommended because the pineapple and sauce can lose some texture after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar brown sugar substitute (measure by volume) and keep the rest unchanged.