Pic Credit: showmetheyummy
Sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken is perhaps one of the most simple and delicious meals for you and your family; the meal involves cooking chicken slowly in the crock pot and combining it with pineapple and soy sauce.
This recipe makes it easier for families that are always occupied with other businesses to come together and prepare good food comfortably. This chicken dish is perfect for dinner parties, pot lucks or any simple weeknight meal.
The juicy chicken in each piece to go along with pineapple and then sauce which enhances the taste of the food increases blast per bite. Everyone will surely love this dish as this is not only yummy but it can also be prepared easily at home.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks or canned pineapple chunks in juice (drained)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions (for garnish)
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)
MEASURES & PRECAUTIONS
- Chicken Quality: We should also note that fresh chicken should be used and stored properly all the time to avoid having food-related issues.
Before preparing the chicken, one has to examine it for any signs of spoilage like change of color, funny smells or thickness of the feel. Chicken enzyme can also be affected and if the chicken looks a bit questionable, it is preferred that a new batch be used. - Ingredient Substitutions: Lastly, in the event that one opts to use canned pineapple, it is recommended that one should drain the pineapple because it contains too much sugar.
You can also use low-sodium soy sauce for ones that are not on a low sodium diet in order to reduce on the content of sodium. However, it should be understood that use of low-sodium soy sauce the taste may be not so pronounced. - Crockpot Size: In this case get a crockpot that has enough space to cook 1 kg (2. 2 lbs) chicken but not too big that it makes the chicken spread out.
This shall allow for an equal distribution of heat throughout the chicken and avoid cases where the chicken is steaming instead of frying. If you are using a tiny crockpot, then this is an ideal time to divide the chicken or even the recipe in general.
Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken Recipe
INGREDIENTS NOTES
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Pineapple: Use fresh pineapple which gives the juicy flavor to the dish and secondly you can also use pineapple canned in its own juice. When using canned pineapple still retains its juice it is good to drain the juice to avoid increasing the sweetness of the dish. You can alter the amount of pineapple depending with the desired measure of sweetness that you want with your dish.
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Soy Sauce: Soy sauce provides a deep flavour of umami the normal one they are also available in low sodium so it can also be used if one cares about their health. It would be wise to remember that the low-sodium soy sauce is a bit less flavorful than the regular one.
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Brown Sugar: This ingredient of the preparation adds to its sweetness and gives a caramelized layer on the chicken. It would be useful to replace regular sugar with brown sugar if you are more preferred this kind of taste and want to increase or to decrease the quantity of it according to the dish.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
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Prepare the Chicken: They should be make in 1-inch cube cuts in order that they get cooked thoroughly and uniformly. Spices used should also be added moderately especially black pepper to the chopped chicken.
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Mix the Sauce: In a medium size bowl, mix together the soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, minced garlic and ginger. Combine the sauce until the brown sugar is dissolved and it is well mixed.
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Layer Ingredients: Put the seasoned chicken pieces in the crockpot so that they overlap each other in a shallow manner. Spoon this sauce over the chicken ensuring that all pieces are covered completely by the sauce. Place the chunks of pineapple on the chicken pieces and arrange it in a proper manner.
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Cook: Ban the cover and switch the knob to the ‘high’ setting to cook for 4 hours or on the ‘low’ setting, it may take 6-8 hours. The chicken should be juicy and cooked to the bone, in other words, its internal temperature should be 165°F + or – (75°C + or –).
During the cooking process the sauce will become thick and the chicken and pineapple will caramelize with the sauce.
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Finish and Serve: When the respective cooking time had elapsed, the dish should be allowed to stand for 10 minutes before being served. This enables the various ingredients infuse the flavors together and also enable the sauce to thicken a little bit.
Top the Hawaiian crockpot chicken with green onions that have been cut into slivers and sesame seeds in case of using them in order to give the dish both taste and presentation.
Accompany the chicken with steamed white rice or cauliflower rice where the later is a low glycemic index option. Enjoy!
RECIPE TIPS & VARIATIONS
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Add Vegetables: To add some more nutrition and color, try adding diced bell peppers or snapped and trimmed snap peas into the crockpot. Put the vegetables half way through the cooking period, so that they still remain crisp and colorful.
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Spicy Kick: This recipe is generally sweet, however, if you prefer the Hawaiian crockpot chicken with some spiced feeling then you can add one or two spoons of Red pepper flakes or add a drop of hot sauce. This will give a good warmth to go with the pineapple and brown sugar which is sweet.
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Serve Differently: If you don’t want to have the sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken served with rice, you can create a low-carb version by having it with lettuce wraps, or use it to fill tacos or burritos. This dish is quite flexible whereby one can decide to be more innovative on how he/she wants to prepare and serve the food.
EQUIPMENT
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Crockpot or slow cooker
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Mixing bowl
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Measuring cups and spoons
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Cutting board
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Sharp knife
Note
SERVING TIPS 💡
- Plate Presentation: To enhance the visually appealing value of this food, it is recommended to serve the sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken over the plate formed of steam white rice or quinoa. Place the pineapple chunks in an artistic way on the top of the chicken so as to make it look tasty and colorful.
- Accompaniments: Serve the lovely Hawaiian crockpot chicken with steamed supplements like broccoli or snap peas in order to ensure that you get a balanced diet. Another side dish that would also complement its taste is a fresh salad or coleslaw since the chicken is rather soft.
- Leftover Storage: Any remaining portions should be kept in an airtight container, and placed in the refrigerator to stay fresh for up to 3 days.When reheating, do not overheat the chicken by reheating in microwave or on the stove in order to avoid drying of the chicken. The leftovers can be taken as is alongside a glass of milk, in sandwiches or even wrap.
Are you looking for another chicken dish? Delicious Chicken Bryan Recipe is a flavorful twist!
