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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken with pull-apart tender thighs and a sticky pineapple teriyaki glaze. The slow cooker turns pineapple chunks into a caramelized, golden sauce that clings to every shred over fluffy 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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Pineapple chunks
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks drained; reserve 1/2 cup juice
Soy sauce
  • 0.333 cup soy sauce
Brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar packed
Ketchup
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
Rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
Garlic
  • 3 clove garlic minced
Fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Cornstarch slurry
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
  • 3 tbsp water
Serving garnishes
  • 1 steamed rice
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 sliced green onions

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Spread them in an even layer so the sauce can coat everything.
  2. Whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil; pour over the chicken. The mixture should look glossy and evenly colored before it goes into the cooker.
  3. Add the pineapple chunks on top. Keep visible chunks on the surface so you can see them later in the finished glaze.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until the chicken is tender and easily shredded. The sauce will bubble gently around the edges as the pineapple turns syrupy.
Thicken into a glaze
  1. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker; stir it through the pineapple teriyaki sauce. You should see shredded strands coated in a thinner, pineapple-studded liquid.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glaze. Watch for a shiny, caramelized cling that coats the spoon and looks thickened.
Serve
  1. Serve the Hawaiian pineapple chicken over steamed rice. The chicken and golden pineapple sauce should sit on top like a sticky topping.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Sprinkle right before serving so the green pops and the seeds look toasted.

Notes

For best caramelization, keep the slow cooker uncovered during the final 20-30 minutes so the pineapple teriyaki sauce reduces into a thick glaze. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days in a sealed container; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin and the chicken texture may change. For a lower-sugar swap, use a 1:1 brown-sugar substitute (packed) and taste after thickening—this helps maintain the same glossy glaze.