Description
This Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken recipe offers a deliciously sweet and savory meal that’s easy to prepare either in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Featuring tender chicken breasts and thighs simmered with pineapple, coconut aminos, and spices, this dish is flavorful and perfect for serving as lettuce wraps, tacos, or over salads.
Ingredients
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
- ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce and Seasonings
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, slightly drained
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos*
- Juice of 1 lime (2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Serving (optional)
- Swiss chard leaves
- Avocado slices
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded purple cabbage
- Green onions
- Sliced almonds
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Place the chicken breasts and thighs, diced onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the drained crushed pineapple, coconut aminos, lime juice, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to mix.
- Cook in slow cooker: Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3 hours until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker onto a plate or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine and keep warm: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the cooking juices. Keep on ‘Keep Warm’ setting until serving.
- Serve: Assemble the Swiss chard wraps with the chicken and desired garnishes such as avocado, shredded carrots, cabbage, green onions, almonds, and cilantro, or serve as tacos, over salad, or bowl style.
- Instant Pot variation – Sauté aromatics: Select ‘Sauté’ function on the Instant Pot and add 1 tablespoon of cooking fat (avocado oil, olive oil, ghee, or coconut oil). When melted, sauté the diced onion and minced garlic for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add chicken breasts, thighs, drained crushed pineapple, coconut aminos, lime juice, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cancel ‘Sauté’ mode, secure the lid, and set the vent to ‘Sealing.’
- Pressure cook: Cook at High Pressure for 12 minutes (add 2 more minutes if chicken pieces are thick or frozen). Perform a manual pressure release carefully; for high altitude, allow 5 minutes natural release before venting.
- Shred and serve: Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Serve using your preferred style and garnishes.
- Enjoy and review: Leave a review and rating to support the recipe and content creators.
Notes
- We love using coconut aminos as a low-sodium and gluten-free alternative to soy sauce or tamari. If not needing Whole30-friendly or soy-free, substitute 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
- Using a mix of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs provides great texture and flavor, but feel free to use only breasts or thighs depending on preference.
