Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken
This easy slow-cooked recipe features tender chicken in a tangy-sweet pineapple sauce, perfect for weeknight dinners and meal prep.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 each red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 each green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in 100% juice, undrained
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (for thickening)
- 1/3 cup honey (substitute: maple syrup or brown sugar diluted with a splash of water)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (substitute: rice vinegar for a milder tang)
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (substitute: tamari for gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked rice and sliced green onions for serving
Instructions
Preparation
- Place the chicken pieces, red and green bell peppers, and the entire can of pineapple (juice included) into a 5–6 quart slow cooker.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Sauce Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch, honey, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, and ground ginger until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps of cornstarch.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Gently press ingredients down to submerge as much as possible.
Cooking
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5–2 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and tender. Stir gently once halfway through cooking to redistribute sauce.
Serving
- When done, taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools and sits on the chicken.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over steamed rice and garnish with sliced green onions. Enjoy.
Notes
Use fresh ginger for brighter flavor. Reduced-sodium soy sauce helps control salt — taste before adding more.