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Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken with pull-apart tender thighs in a sticky pineapple teriyaki glaze. Slow-cooked with visible pineapple chunks, then thickened into a golden caramelized 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: 670
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken thighs
  • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
pineapple chunks
  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
sauce base
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
thickener
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
to serve
  • 1 Steamed rice
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 sliced green onions

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Spread them out in an even layer for consistent shredding.
  2. Whisk together 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.
  3. Add pineapple chunks on top. Keep them visible so you get sweet bursts of fruit in the finished sauce.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until chicken is tender and easily shredded. You should see bubbling at the edges and a golden sauce forming around the chunks.
Glaze and finish
  1. Shred chicken in the slow cooker; stir to coat it with the pineapple sauce. Use the spoon to pull strands so the sauce clings to every shred.
  2. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH uncovered for 20-30 minutes until sauce thickens to a glaze. Watch for a glossy, caramel-colored cling with visible pineapple chunks.
  3. Serve over steamed rice garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. Spoon sauce generously so the glaze coats the rice and chicken.

Notes

For best cling, shred the chicken while it’s still hot, then simmer uncovered until the sauce turns thick and glossy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot throughout. Freezing is yes (up to 2 months), though the sauce may thicken further when thawed—add a splash of water or pineapple juice when reheating. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar to 2 tablespoons and increase rice vinegar to 4 tablespoons for a similar sweet-tang balance.