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This Slow Cooker Sweet Hawaiian Chicken is a perfect dinner recipe your whole family will enjoy! The tender, juicy chicken simmered perfectly in sweet, savory sticky sauce. Pair them with rice and sweet pineapples!
I love how this recipe turned out in my new Hamilton Beach 10 Quart Slow Cooker. I was surprised how this slow cooker handled a big batch meal like this one with ease! In my opinion, the extra space in the slow cooker really helped speed up the cooking time and energy. Everything cooked evenly and simmered wonderfully. Another feature I want to point out is the lid construction. It has like a soft silicone lining around the glass edge. This seal made it safe and reliable when cooking and super portable when combined with the lid latch option. Be sure to check out Hamilton Beach the next time you are in search for a slow cooker!
Why this recipe works:
This recipe is great for family meals or gatherings. It’s also a very affordable and a versatile dish. The chicken stays moist and flavorful by first pan searing, then using a slow cooker method to simmer away. This helps to absorb all the seasonings and aromatics in a deeper level.
This easy and a comforting dish has plenty of rich sauce to pair with carbs of choice. Left overs are just as tasty and freezer friendly. I am not joking, this meal has it all: tender chicken, sweet and tangy sauce and plenty of texture!
What are the ingredients for Hawaiian chicken?
- 3.8 lbs. chicken things with bone and skin on
- 1 large onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 knob fresh ginger (ginger powder if you want mild)
- 2 garlic cloves (garlic powder if you want mild)
- 1 can of pineapples (big chunks not tidbits)
- 4 Tbsp Tshuyu Soup Base
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- green onions
- roasted sesame seeds
How do you make slow cooker Hawaiian chicken?
- Clean chicken things then pat dry with paper towel. Message with salt, pepper and olive oil. Let it sit for few minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients, mix and set aside. Chop vegetable and aromatics. set aside. Make slurry and set aside.
- Take a heavy skillet and set the temperature on high. Add neutral oil and char onion for about 1-2 mins. Then add salt, garlic and ginger. Cook additional 30 seconds, then set aside.
- Into the same skillet, place the chicken skin side down and cook for about 5-6 minutes on medium high heat until golden brown, turning halfway. Use the lid to help reduce oil splattering.
- Layer the bottom of the slow cooker with cooked onion. Then add the chicken and lasty with the sauce. Close the lid and cook on high temperature for 1.5 hour. Glaze occasionally.
- Using a ladle, slowly scoop out the fat liquid from the edges and the middle of the pot, set aside.
- Add the slurry mixture and give it a mix. Distribute the red peppers on top and close the lid. Cook additional 20 mins on high.
- When time is done, turn off the slow cooker. Stir in 1 1/2 cup of pineapple chunks and give it a stir. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
- Serve on top of rice with left over pineapples on the side.
What is the secret to the sauce?
For this recipe, you don’t need to purchase premade sauces like BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, nor teriyaki sauce. Follow my recipe below to create your own magic savory sauce to go along with your chicken. However, make sure you purchase this one sauce from the Asian Market. It’s called Tshuyu Soup Base/Oigatsuo. It should say concentrated version. I used a brand called Mizkan but there are other brands available. This soy sauce-based seasoning has a much richer flavor than a normal sauce soy. If you don’t own any dark soy sauce, it could be omitted, since it is more for coloring than flavoring.
What kind of rice pair well with Hawaiian chicken?
- white short grain rice or long rice
- brown rice
- cauliflower rice
- purple rice
Q & A
Yes, but from my recipe testing, the red bell peppers worked the best with pineapples. You can certainly use different colored bell peppers like orange, yellow or green pepper. There will be slight differences in the flavor.
Yes, you can use different parts of the chicken. I have tried the whole chicken legs and worked well with this recipe. If you plan to use chicken drumsticks for this dish, I recommend either soaking them in cold water before adding them into the pan or parboiling them instead, due to higher content of blood in the bones.
To keep this dish easy and simple, I recommend using the canned pineapples. If you do end up using the fresh pineapples, and pineapple juice, you may have to add more sugar to the marinade. The cooking time may also vary.
Yes, you can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. However, you will have to use more oil when browning to prevent sticking to the pan. It’s definitely a much healthier approach, however the chicken skin and bone are where the deep flavors come from.
Yes, this dish is great for freezing! I was able to save the leftovers in a freezer-safe bag or a airtight container like this one. First debone the chicken. Then transfer the shredded chicken and sauce into freezer-safe bag. When you are ready to eat, take out the Hawaiian chicken and place it in a microwaveable bowl with 1 Tbsp of water. Then pop them in a microwave and cook until hot. Enjoy! The sauce will help in keeping everything moist and flavorful.
Did you like this slow cooker Hawaiian chicken recipe?
Be sure to check out my other yummy chicken recipes!
- SUPER MOIST AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
- CITRUS CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH PINEAPPLES
- EASY HOMEMADE EGG DROP SOUP
- INSTANT POT KOREAN CHICKEN SOUP, DAK GOMTANG
Slow Cooker Sweet Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker 10 qt
Ingredients
- 3.8 lbs Chicken thighs (about 7pcs) bone in, skin on
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1 onion, large chopped
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 ginger knob julienned
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1½ cup pineapple chunks
Sauce
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup pineapple juice canned
- 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 4 Tbsp ketchup
- 4 Tbsp Tshuyu Soup Base/Oigatsu concentrated
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
slurry
- 1½ Tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
garnish
- chopped scallions
- roasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet in high heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 1-2 mins until charred while stirring. Add pinch of salt, garlic and ginger and cook additional 30 seconds. Set aside in a bowl.
- Using the same skillet, add little bit of oil and cook chicken thighs, skin side down first. Cook for about 5-6 mins until golden brown, turning halfway. Use the lid to avoid splattering.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Into the slow cooker, first layer the bottom with cooked onion, next chicken, then drizzle the sauce evenly all over. Close lid and set the slow cooker on high and cook for 1½ hour. Glaze meat occasionally.
- When time it up, use a ladle to collect any visible floating fat liquid. Set it aside.
- Add in slurry, red pepper and give it a stir. Close lid and cook additional 20 mins.
- Turn off slow cooker and stir in pineapples. Garnish with scallion and sesame seeds. Serve with hot rice.
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