Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple cooked in teriyaki sauce comes out tender, delicious, and full of flavor. A recipe kids and adults both love. Serve it with some Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots or a Quick Cabbage Stir Fry.

Well hello, lovely readers! It's that time of the week again (at least, at this writing): Sunday! Sundays are for slow cookers, and not just because it makes for good alliteration. I cook most days of the week and on Sundays, I just want to take a break, catch up on some Netflix, do some shopping, exercise, hang with my family...basically do anything but spend time over the stove.

That's why the Sunday Slow Cooker meals are some of my favorites — set it and forget it, as they say. This Hawaiian Chicken is one of our favorites to make on Sundays (or any day, really). It's one of the more versatile chicken recipes I make, and we tend to make it last for more than just the Sunday meal.

Sweet, savory, salty, nutritious, delicious, and, most importantly, easy! I lounge around all morning or go for a walk, eat lunch, get out my ingredients for this chicken, and put it all together...go about my afternoon and then voila — tasty chicken ready for whatever preparation you throw at it. Pair this chicken with some roasted veggies or a side salad and dinner...is done!

Ways to Serve Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken

Some of my favorite slow cooker recipes are the kind that can be used in tons of different ways during the week. This is one of those recipes. You can literally use this chicken over and over again after making it and feel like it’s a new meal each time. Seriously...this recipe could be used 100 different ways!

• Serving it with Asian slaw and rice.
• Wrap it up in lettuce with hot sauce, water chestnuts, and cilantro for a low-carb taco.
• Try it out in a quesadilla with some sliced jalapenos, cheddar cheese, and sauteed peppers.
• Throw it on a sandwich for a Hawaiian take on a classic pulled-pork sandwich.
• Add some barbecue sauce and crunchy veggies if you’re feeling it.
• Use it in a stir-fry with sauteed veggies and fried rice.
• Turn it into a BBQ chicken pizza.
• Make a breakfast hash with sweet potatoes.
• Wrap it up into a burrito.
• Add shredded chicken to the top of your favorite salad with a dollop of sesame dressing.
• Toss the shredded chicken with quinoa and some sweet corn relish to create the base of a make-your-own grain bowl.

Side Dishes to Serve with Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

Sides, sides, everywhere the sides…

• Salads are my jam. Toss up a simple one with greens and whatever veggies are wasting away in your crisper drawer.
• Rice — brown, white, or cauliflower always makes a great side dish, especially when there is a yummy sauce to spoon over it.
• Make zucchini (or any veggie) noodles as a side dish. Sauteed with some EVOO, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Mmmmmm.
• Baked potatoes are always a fan favorite. Use low-calorie margarine or spray butter to cut back on calories.
• Speaking of potatoes, roasted potatoes are also great to make in the oven and don't take all that long at all.
• Sweet potatoes — baked or roasted are amazing side dishes as well.
• Add that Hawaiian chicken to the inside of a squash boat with all your favorite toppings.
• Hawaiian rolls go great with Hawaiian bread, of course. Make sliders too if you so desire.
• Couscous and polenta are amazing, unexpected sides that go well with slow cooker dishes.

How Is Chicken "Hawaiian"?

To be honest, I named this chicken "Hawaiian" because, in my mind, any kind of protein dressed up in pineapple, teriyaki, ginger, and soy (and the optional heat from peppers) just transports me to a tropical island and all the tastes thereof. Plus, isn't it more fun to make and eat Hawaiian chicken than, say, soy chicken? I think so!

How Can I Customize Hawaiian Chicken?

Like any good slow cooker chicken dish, this one just begs to be made however you desire. No fresh pineapple? Try canned. Hate pineapple juice? Use orange juice instead. You can also skip the juice, the pineapple chunks, or both if you don't want fruit mixing with your chicken.

I like to add habanero peppers for the heat but you can also use jalapeno, poblano, or whatever peppers you like the most to this dish. Even sliced or diced bell peppers would be good.

Make this dish extra fiery by adding in red pepper flakes or topping with your favorite hot sauce. I think this one lends itself to a sweeter tasting hot sauce, or sometimes (okay almost all the time, on everything) I like to add Sriracha as well — I can't help it, I'm addicted to the stuff!

You can also use jarred, minced garlic and/or dried ginger if you don't have fresh. I do think ginger is necessary in this dish, but you can cut it back to a ½ tablespoon if you don't enjoy it that much.