These Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, and packed with sweet-tangy pineapple flavor, all made effortlessly while you go about your day. Dairy-free and gluten-free, this hands-off dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. Enjoy the thighs intact or make them into shredded chicken for easy meal prep.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 4 hours 5 minutes
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 188 kcals and 28 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Chicken, pineapple, gluten-free soy sauce, chicken broth and dijon mustard.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and can be made paleo-friendly.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: It’s a hands-off, sweet-and-savory slow cooker meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights and easy meal prep.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Keeping a rotation of high-protein chicken recipes that don’t require much hands-on time is non-negotiable for me as a busy mom. Recipes like this easy slow cooker Hawaiian chicken are exactly how I keep dinners simple while still making sure we’re eating well, similar to the quick wins in my Busy Moms Cookbook. When dinner can cook itself and still deliver big flavor, it’s a total sanity saver.
My kids genuinely love this slow cooker Hawaiian chicken with pineapple because the chicken turns out ultra-juicy after soaking in that lightly sweet pineapple sauce all day, very similar to slow cooker honey mustard chicken thighs. I usually toss bell peppers into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes and serve it all over rice for an easy, complete meal, just like the rest of my go-to dairy-free slow cooker recipe.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy: Everything goes into the slow cooker, and you can let it do its thing for the rest of the day.
Healthy: This slow cooker Hawaiian chicken recipe is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, and can be made paleo and whole30-approved with one small tweak.
Versatile: There are a ton of ways you can serve Hawaiian chicken, which gives you the option of creating a new meal almost every time.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs is what I use but chicken breasts are fine too. If you want to make it into shredded chicken, you’ll want to use breasts as they’re easier.
- Gluten-free: Confirm that the soy sauce you’re using (and the mustard) is gluten-free, as it tends to be a hidden source of gluten.
- Make it paleo and Whole30: To make the Hawaiian chicken with pineapple Whole30-approved, you’ll want to ensure you use an approved mustard and coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Vegetables: In place of bell peppers, you can use chopped broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots for a pop of new color.
Spicy: Keep in mind you can add a bit of heat to the Hawaiian chicken also by sprinkling some red pepper flakes into the mixture.
How To Make Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Place the soy sauce, mustard, garlic, ginger, and broth in the slow cooker and mix well before adding the chicken.
Step 2: Toss the chicken in the sauce and then place the pineapples on top. Cook for 6 hours on low.
Step 3: In the last 30 minutes, add the sliced bell peppers to the slow cooker and make the slurry if using.
Step 4: Serve it over rice and enjoy.
Expert Tips
If you love a sweeter flavor, use some of the juice from the can of pineapples or add in a splash of maple syrup (my kids love that).
If making shredded chicken, it’s easier to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Know that having the skin on makes it more challenging to remove. You can use bone-in; you may just have to cook the them longer until the chicken reaches 165F.
The juice from the chicken is naturally very thin; if you prefer a slightly thicker juice, you’ll want to make the arrowroot slurry.
How To Store It
Once cooled, you can store leftover Hawaiian chicken (with all it’s juices) in a glass container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
To enjoy it, you can reheat it on the stove over low to medium heat and stirring often until warmed through. You could also reheat it in the slow cooker,r though I would add a splash more broth for that.
I haven’t tried freezing this chicken recipe yet. Though the chicken and juices should freeze okay, the pineapple would definitely get mushy upon thawing.
How To Serve It
Slow cooker Hawaiian chicken with rice is my personal go-to, but below are a few other ways to enjoy it.
- On top of roasted spaghetti squash for a low-carb option.
- Mixed in with cooked gluten-free pasta.
- Shredded and used on salads, wraps, or rice again
Honestly, making it into a shredded chicken makes for a great meal prep recipe for easy lunches!
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Thighs FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh pineapple instead of canned. Just make sure to use a ripe pineapple so that the sweet flavor still shines through.
No, you do not need to brown the chicken before putting it into the slow cooker. The chicken will naturally absorb the sweet flavors and become juicy and tender. Just make sure to cook your chicken so that the temperature reaches above 165F before serving.
More Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Recipes
If you tried this Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Thighs
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 breasts
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce gluten-free
- 1 can Pineapple
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Dried ginger
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ cup Chicken broth
- 2 Bell peppers
- Red pepper flakes optional and to taste
For the slurry
- ¼ cup liquid from the slow cooker
- 1.5 teaspoons Tapioca or arrowroot powder
- Rice for serving
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, mustard, and chicken broth to the slow cooker and mix to combine.
- Place the chicken into the sauce and flip each piece to coat them.
- Layer the pineapple on top.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- In the last 30-45 minutes of cooking, flip the chicken with tongs and place the bell peppers on top.
- If you’re making the slurry, remove ¼ cup of liquid from the slow cooker and place it in a bowl. Whisk in the tapioca starch or arrowroot powder until no clumps remain. Pour it back into the slow cooker and mix briefly.
- Place the lid back on and continue to cook until peppers are tender (about 30 minutes).
- Serve over rice, pasta, or salad.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby Stover says
I love how juicy this pineapple chicken comes out and my kids love the sweet flavor. We enjoy it in so many ways that it's a staple in our rotation.