Can’t quite wrangle up another way to cook that darn chicken? I reckon it’s easy to get stuck in a chicken fix, but worry not, partner – your trusty slow cooker’s got your back!
Whip up this finger-lickin’ crock pot chicken dish inspired by the sun-kissed flavors of Hawaii. Just grab yerself a can of pineapple chunks, some soy sauce, and a few other pantry staples to rustle up a sweet ‘n savory marinade chock-full of flavor. Let that ol’ chicken simmer low and slow in your crock pot until it’s so tender it falls apart.
This here recipe’s just what you need to shake off them winter doldrums and enjoy a little tropical vacation right in your kitchen!
Go on and serve this slow cooker Hawaiian pineapple chicken over some rice, noodles, or roast veggies for a mighty fine meal. And don’t forget to fancy it up with a sprinkle of green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Handy Tips and Tweaks:
1- If you can, give that dish a good stir halfway through cookin’ to make sure all the flavors are mixin’ together just right.
2- Feel free to toss in some extra veggies or swap out the ones I used. I’ve been known to add diced carrots, snow peas, or even broccoli. Now, if you’re usin’ snow peas or broccoli, add ’em in about an hour before cookin’ time’s up. These veggies taste best when they still got a little crunch to ’em.
3- Don’t forget to taste test for seasonin’. If you reckon it could use a pinch more salt or pepper, go on and add it to your likin’.
4- If smaller chicken pieces are more your style, you can dice up the tenderloins or use chicken breast or thighs instead.
Keepin’ It Fresh:
Storin’: Once your leftovers have cooled down, pop ’em in an airtight container and store ’em in the fridge for up to five days.
Freezin’: You can freeze this dish for up to three months, too. Just put the leftovers in a freezer-safe bag or container, and they’ll be ready for you in the freezer. When you’re hankerin’ for some Hawaiian chicken, thaw it out overnight in the fridge before heatin’ it up.
Warmin’ It Up: To reheat your slow cooker Hawaiian chicken, either heat it on the stovetop over low heat ’til it’s nice and warm, or zap it in the microwave usin’ 30-second intervals. If you’ve got frozen and thawed chicken, you can also reheat it in the crock pot on LOW for about an hour.
Crock Pot Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1″ pieces)
- 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks with juice (don’t drain)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 red bell pepper chopped into 1″ pieces
- 1 yellow onion chopped into 1″ pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped into 1″ pieces
- 2 tsp garlic
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Start by addin’ the chopped chicken thighs to your trusty Crock-Pot. Next, toss in the pineapple chunks with their juice, brown sugar, orange juice, red and yellow bell peppers, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and ketchup. Give it all a good mixin’ ’til everything’s well combined.
- Cover it up and let it cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or, if you’re in a hurry, on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- When you’ve got about 30 minutes left on the timer, whisk together the water and cornstarch in a small bowl ’til there ain’t a lump in sight. Pour it into the Crock-Pot, stir it in, and let it keep cookin’ for those last 30 minutes.
- Serve this mouthwaterin’ dish over rice and garnish with some diced green onion for a lil’ extra flair.
