Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken (Print)
Tender chicken with sweet pineapple, peppers, and tangy sauce - a tropical-inspired dish for busy weeknights.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
03 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
→ Fruit
05 - 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve juice)
→ Sauce
06 - 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
07 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
08 - 1/4 cup ketchup
09 - 3 tbsp brown sugar
10 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
13 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
→ Thickener
14 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
15 - 2 tbsp cold water
→ Garnish
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
# How-To Steps:
01 - Whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until well combined.
02 - Arrange chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add bell peppers, onion, and pineapple chunks on top of the chicken.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce evenly over all ingredients in the slow cooker.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Mix cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth and completely dissolved.
06 - During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir the cornstarch slurry into the slow cooker. Remove the lid and let the sauce thicken for the final 30 minutes.
07 - Serve hot over steamed rice, garnished with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce achieves that perfect restaurant quality balance between sweet tangy and savory without any fancy techniques
- Your entire house will smell like a tropical vacation while it practically cooks itself
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to really mingle
02 -
- Resist the urge to lift the lid during the first 4 hours every peek adds 15 minutes to cooking time
- The sauce will look thin and watery until that cornstarch step at the end trust the process
- Fresh pineapple contains enzymes that break down protein so canned pineapple actually works better here
03 -
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes until fragrant and golden it makes a huge difference
- Add the red pepper flakes gradually if you are unsure about heat levels you can always add more