How to make Hawaiian chicken in a slow cooker (video)

Kate Elliott

Contributing Writer

I love anything Hawaiian. There's something about the sweet taste of pineapple — something strewn throughout many Hawaiian dishes — that's so perfect and, when it's warmed up, so comforting at the same time. Here that pineapple is paired with salty soy sauce and aromatic ginger for a sauce that sums up everything great about the Islands.

The best thing about this dish is that most Hawaiian chicken recipes call for at least a four-hour marinating time. And after that you still need to sweat it out over a grill, hoping against hope that you don't dry out those chicken breasts. That's not the case here. Not only do the chicken breasts marinate while cooking, but there's little to do once you've put everything together. And because the chicken breasts are surrounded by that delicious sauce during their entire cook time, there's no chance of them drying out.

Cooktop Cove

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

10 minutes

3 hours

3 hours, 10 minutes

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 14-ounce can pineapple chunks with juice

1½ tablespoons minced or grated ginger

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

½ cup no-sodium chicken broth

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a 6-quart slow cooker.

In a large bowl, make a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water, ensuring cornstarch is well incorporated and not lumpy.

In the same large bowl with the slurry, add pineapple with juice, ginger, soy sauce, chicken broth, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro. Mix well and pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Cool for 5 minutes before serving with rice or noodles. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions.

Tip: For more depth in flavor, try searing the chicken in a hot pan before adding to the slow cooker.

Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here.

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