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If you’ve never heard of Hawaiian Haystacks, then allow me to introduce you to a rice and creamy chicken dish with a savory flavor that even picky eaters will enjoy. Whether you’re looking for a quick meal for busy weeknights or a potluck dish to please a crowd, this is a must-try!
Speaking of chicken and potlucks, these Alabama Chicken Sandwiches are another big hit.

Table of Contents
What are Hawaiian Haystacks?
Although the Hawaiian haystack recipe didn’t originate in Hawaii, the dish grabbed its name because of the citrus-like ingredients. The recipe highlights the variety of toppings that are “stacked” on a bed of white rice.
While you can certainly choose your own toppings, people’s favorite toppings are mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, sliced olives, and chow mein noodles. Keep reading to see just how easy it is to make Hawaiian haystacks.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are slow-cooked in a cream of chicken base until fork tender.
- Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup: Cream of chicken soup to cook chicken in the crock pot helps create a creamy chicken gravy.
- Chicken Broth: Adds to the cream of chicken to make a creamy gravy and enhanced chicken flavor.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and garlic powder add the perfect flavor to the chicken gravy.
- Haystack Toppings: Mandarin oranges, crunchy chow mein noodles, diced Roma tomatoes, sliced green onion, and sliced olives are some of the most ideal toppings to serve for the Hawaiian haystacks.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Step Two – Whisk together the chicken broth, cream of chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Step Three – Pour the creamy sauce over the uncooked fresh chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.
Step Four – Shred the chicken with two forks in the slow cooker. Serve over hot rice and desired toppings.
Toppings for Hawaiian Haystacks
- Classic Toppings: oranges, olives, diced tomatoes, chow mein noodles, and diced green onion.
- Other topping ideas: pineapple tidbits, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, green peas, shredded cheddar cheese, diced bell peppers, shredded cheese, and sunflower seeds.
- Side option: If you want to add more vegetables to this meal, add a green side! It goes great with this meal.
Recipe FAQs
You can use cauliflower rice, brown rice, basmati rice, or wild rice to replace white rice.
Other than cream of chicken soup, you can use cream of mushroom soup. It won’t change the taste too much.
For this type of dish, you’ll want to store any leftovers in individual containers. Place each item – from the creamy chicken to the individual toppings – in its own airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat the rice and chicken over medium heat on the stove top. Or you heat individual servings in the microwave.
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Slow Cooker Hawaiian Haystacks
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup chicken broth, or water
- 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
For serving:
- cooked white rice
- crunchy chow mein noodles
- Roma tomatoes, diced
- mandarin oranges
- sliced black olives
- green onions , sliced
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the crockpot.
- In a small bowl, mix the chicken broth, cream of chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Pour the cream of chicken mixture on top of the chicken breast.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the crockpot and with 2 forks shred the chicken.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow and mix with the sauce, until the chicken is well coated.
- Serve on top of rice and garnish with Chow Mein noodles, tomatoes, mandarin, black olive, and green onion.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Nutritional values do not include the rice or toppings.
- Start cooking your rice towards the end of the cooking time.
- Other topping ideas: pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, green peas, melted cheddar cheese, diced bell peppers, shredded cheddar cheese, and sunflower seeds.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Can you tell me how many does this recipe feed?? I looked for that information. Thankyou, sounds so yummy.
It serves about 6.