Description
This Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken recipe offers a deliciously sweet and savory dish perfect for a comforting meal. Featuring tender chicken cubes coated in cornstarch and seared before slow cooking in a flavorful sauce of brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and crushed pineapple, it’s an easy, fuss-free recipe that yields a mouthwatering tropical twist on classic chicken. Ideal for serving over rice or quinoa, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s great for meal prep or family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 lbs. chicken, cubed
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Sauce
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or Tamari (gluten free)
- ½ cup crushed pineapple
Instructions
- Coat the Chicken: In a gallon-size Ziploc bag, combine cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Add the cubed chicken and toss until each piece is completely coated with the mixture. This helps create a slight crust on the chicken and thickens the sauce later.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the coated chicken cubes and sear them for about 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they develop a light golden crust but are not fully cooked through.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce or Tamari, and crushed pineapple until well combined. This sauce provides the signature sweet and tangy flavor.
- Assemble in Slow Cooker: Pour half of the sauce mixture into the slow cooker, then add the seared chicken on top. Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to become tender.
- Serve: Once cooked, serve the Hawaiian chicken warm over cooked rice or quinoa to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Searing the chicken before slow cooking locks in flavor and improves texture.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for a juicier result if preferred.
- Use Tamari for a gluten-free version of this dish.
- Leftovers reheat well and taste great the next day.
- Adjust the sugar amount to taste for a less sweet or more balanced dish.
