Crock Pot Huli Huli Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken in a sweet and smoky pineapple-soy glaze, slowly cooked to perfection for easy weeknight dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 1 cup pineapple juice
03 - 0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 0.33 cup ketchup
05 - 0.25 cup light brown sugar packed
06 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 3 cloves garlic minced
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
10 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch for thickening optional
12 - 2 tablespoons water for slurry optional

→ Garnish & Serving

13 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
15 - fresh pineapple slices optional for serving
16 - steamed rice optional

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Arrange chicken thighs in the crock pot. Pour the prepared marinade over the chicken, turning pieces to ensure even coating on all sides.
03 - Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and meat is tender throughout.
04 - Transfer cooked chicken to a serving platter. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl to form a smooth slurry. Stir slurry into remaining sauce in crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens. Return chicken to pot and coat evenly.
05 - Plate chicken over steamed rice. Top generously with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh pineapple slices if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pineapple-soy glaze creates that perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory that everyone craves
  • Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • Leftovers (if you have any) taste even better the next day
02 -
  • The sauce will be quite thin until you add the cornstarch slurry, but that thin sauce actually keeps the chicken moister during cooking
  • If you have time, sear the chicken thighs in a hot pan for 2 minutes per side before adding to the slow cooker for extra flavor depth
  • This recipe doubles beautifully for larger gatherings, just use a larger slow cooker or split between two
03 -
  • For a smokier flavor without grilling, add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the marinade
  • If you cannot find fresh pineapple, frozen pineapple chunks work great for serving and can be added to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking

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