Best Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken


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This Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken has a sweet and tangy sauce, along with onion and green bell pepper! It’s great over brown rice and with steamed green vegetables.

Easy chicken recipes are what the slow cooker is all about! Also, try my fiesta chicken, slow cooker sweet and sour chicken, Slow Cooker Mongolian chicken or Hawaiian haystacks next.

scooping out some slow cooker hawaiian chicken.
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I enjoy easy recipes like this that require little work. After I get home, I put on a pot of rice and can have dinner served right away. Crockpot Hawaiian chicken will be one of your favorite healthy dinners!

When I think of Hawaiian recipes, I think of pineapple, green pepper, and a sweet sauce, this chicken recipe checks all of those boxes. You may also like my Hawaiian Baked Beans, or my Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Sliders.

Recipe Ingredients

ingredients for slow cooker hawaiian chicken on a table.
  • Chicken breasts – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are great for this recipe. They stay moist in all the sauce. Another option is chicken tenderloins.
  • Bell pepper – Green bell pepper is a staple in Hawaiian recipes.
  • Pineapple – Crushed pineapple will sweeten and flavor the sauce; drain pineapple chunks. You can add the pineapple juice to the dish, though the sauce will be on the runny side.
  • Bacon – Cooked and crumbled bacon adds a slightly smokey flavor to the recipe.
  • Sauce ingredients – For the sauce, you will need barbecue sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and pepper.
  • {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the photos}

Variations

You can add other vegetables such as sweet yellow onion, thickly sliced carrots, green beans, and even water chestnuts.

To make spicy, add one sliced jalapeno to make spicy Hawaiian chicken. Or you can add a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper.

You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe with no issues. You may need to degrease the sauce before serving by laying paper towels over it to soak up the grease. You can also use pork chops and still shred them before serving.

Step-by-Step Directions

three images showing how to make crockpot hawaiian chicken.

Step One – Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.

Step Two – Sprinkle over the pepper and garlic powder. Add the bell pepper, crushed pineapple, barbecue sauce, cooked bacon, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything.

Step Three – Cook on low for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. The chicken will marinate as it slowly cooks.

Step Four – If desired, shred the chicken, or serve the chicken breasts whole or halved.

overhead shot of slow cooker hawaiian chicken.

How to serve

  • On Rice – Serve the chicken over rice along with the Hawaiian sauce. For a healthy option, serve with brown rice, or you can make white rice or even coconut rice. Great with a green side dish such as steamed broccoli and topped your dish with sliced green onions and sriracha hot sauce.
  • With Mashed Potaotes – You may not think of serving this chicken with slow cooker mashed potatoes, but it is good! The salty mashed potatoes go great with the sweet and tangy chicken.
  • As a Sandwich – Serve the shredded crockpot bbq Hawaiian chicken on hamburger buns with macaroni salad.
overhead of serving of slow cooker hawaiian chicken over rice.

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to add the bacon?

If you want to make this even healthier, leave out the bacon. The sauce still has plenty of flavor without it.

Can I marinate this?

Yes, you can overnight if desired, though it is not necessary. The slow cooking time will help all the flavors marinate together.

How to store?

This recipe stores and reheats very well. Place in airtight containers and refrigerate for four days or freezer for up to three months. Thaw in fridge before reheating.

serving of crockpot hawaiian chicken over rice.
overhead shot of slow cooker hawaiian chicken.

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

4.89 from 18 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6
This chicken has barbecue sauce, crushed pineapple and even bacon! Great over rice or even buns.

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, (can use chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken thighs)
  • 5 slices bacon,, sliced and cooked
  • 1 green bell pepper,, diced
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce, (I use Sweet Baby Rays)
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 20 oz. can crushed pineapple,, drained very well

Instructions 

  • Add the chicken breast to the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir the toppings on top of the chicken to combine.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • If desired shred the chicken. Serve over white or brown rice, or hamburger buns. Enjoy!

How to Video

Sarah’s Notes

  • If you want to make this even healthier, leave out the bacon. The sauce still has plenty of flavor without it.
  • This recipe stores and reheats very well. Place in airtight containers and refrigerate for four days or freezer for up to three months. Thaw in fridge before reheating.
Variations
  • You can add other vegetables such as sweet yellow onion, thickly sliced carrots, green beans, and even water chestnuts.
  • Yes, add one sliced jalapeno to make spicy Hawaiian chicken. Or you can add a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper.
  • You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe with no issues. You may need to degrease the sauce before serving by laying paper towels over it to soak up the grease. You can also use pork chops and still shred them before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 852mg | Potassium: 731mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 26.7mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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36 Comments

  1. Simon says:

    Hi
    Can I double Up the recipe,?

    Thanks

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes, you can double this type of recipe with no issues.

  2. Virginia Balsamo says:

    Can I use legs & thighs and degrease sauce after it is done cooking?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      yes, that will work great.

      1. Maggie says:

        3 stars
        How can I make the sauce thicker?

      2. Sarah Olson says:

        You can mix 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water and add to the finished dish.

  3. Charlie J says:

    Can I use thick cut Pork Chops in this . Would I have to adjust the time ?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Those will work with the same amount of time.

  4. JB says:

    When is the bacon added? Recipe doesnโ€™t specify if itโ€™s at the beginning ( so cooks with the already cooked bacon for the 5-6 hours) or at the end.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Add it at the beginning with everything else.

  5. Danielle says:

    5 stars
    Very very delicious. I did add my own flare to it. I used pineapple chunks instead of crushed. I mixed my โ€œsauceโ€ ingredients separately in a bowl, then added the pineapple chunks to it and used my emulsion blender to make the sauce thick and pinappley. I then dumped it over top of 6 chicken thighs and the bell peppers, with some minced garlic instead of garlic powder. thanks for the wonderful recipe and inspo!

  6. mel says:

    do you need to use pineapple?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      No, you can leave it out.

  7. Blueberry says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy. I used canned diced pineapple. Served over Minute brown rice. Picky eaters of he house were happy.

  8. Gail says:

    5 stars
    Can this recipe be doubled in one crock pot? Would the cooking time change?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Yes. You most likely wonโ€™t need any extra time if you keep the lid on the entire time.

  9. Jeannette says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight …. delicious flavour

  10. Jkm says:

    5 stars
    Looking forward to making this!

    Broccoli as a side jumps out to go with the chicken and rice. Any other suggestions? Maybe baby bok choy?

    Thanks!

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      I serve broccoli with most everything. That or asparagus sounds good.