Small Batch Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken
A perfectly portioned sweet-and-sour pineapple chicken made for 3–4 quart slow cookers. This sticky, tender, dump-and-go meal delivers classic takeout flavor with only 5 minutes of prep.
Equipment
- 3- or 4-quart slow cooker
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- mixing bowl
- Small Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned, drained)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp water (for sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (for slurry)
- 3 tbsp cold water (for slurry)
- 1 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- 1 sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes and pat dry. Place chicken pieces in the bottom of a 3–4 quart slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, garlic, and ginger. Pour over chicken. Add pineapple chunks on top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for an additional 15–20 minutes until sauce thickens and turns glossy.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for best texture. Fresh or canned pineapple works, but drain canned pineapple well. For thicker sauce, do not skip the cornstarch slurry. If doubling the recipe, use a 6-quart slow cooker and increase the slurry slightly.