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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken made in a slow cooker with a sticky pineapple teriyaki glaze and visible pineapple chunks. Pull-apart tender chicken is thickened with a cornstarch slurry until caramelized and clinging to every shred over steamed rice.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
  • 0.3333333333 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 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 steamed rice for serving
  • 1 sesame seeds for serving
  • 1 sliced green onions for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the chicken in the slow cooker
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, then pour over the chicken.
  3. Add pineapple chunks on top.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until the chicken is tender and easily shredded (watch for steam and bubbling around the edges).
Thicken into a glaze
  1. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry.
  3. Cook on HIGH uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glaze (look for a glossy, clinging coat on the spoon).
Serve
  1. Serve the Hawaiian pineapple chicken over steamed rice.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For the best cling, shred thoroughly so sauce gets into every strand, then simmer uncovered until it looks glossy and coats rice. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave, adding a splash of water if it thickens too much. Freezing is not ideal because the sauce can loosen after thawing, but it can be frozen for up to 2 months if needed. For a lower-sugar option, use a lower-sugar brown sugar substitute or reduce sugar slightly while keeping the cornstarch step the same for proper thickening.