Description
This Slow Cooker Shredded Hawaiian Chicken is a delightful blend of tender chicken breasts and thighs simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce made with crushed pineapple, coconut aminos, and lime juice. Perfectly seasoned with garlic, ginger, and a hint of spice, this dish is incredibly versatile and can be served as lettuce wraps, tacos, over salads, or bowl style. The slow cooker method ensures juicy, flavorful chicken that shreds easily and soaks up the wonderful sauce, making it an easy and delicious meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
- ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, slightly drained
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- Juice of 1 lime (2 to 2 ½ tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
To Serve (Optional)
- Swiss chard leaves
- Avocado slices
- Shredded carrots
- Shredded purple cabbage
- Green onions
- Sliced almonds
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Place the chicken breasts and thighs, diced yellow onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker, ensuring they are distributed evenly.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mostly drained crushed pineapple, coconut aminos, freshly squeezed lime juice, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Add Sauce to Slow Cooker: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker, ensuring all pieces are well coated.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a plate or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine and Keep Warm: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to mix it into the sauce juices. Set the slow cooker to the Keep Warm setting until ready to serve.
- Serve: Assemble Swiss chard wraps with the shredded chicken and optional toppings such as avocado slices, shredded carrots, shredded purple cabbage, green onions, sliced almonds, and fresh cilantro. Alternatively, serve as tacos, over salads, or bowl style.
Notes
- You can use either a slow cooker or Instant Pot to prepare this recipe; the slow cooker rendition offers deeply infused flavors from the prolonged cooking time.
- This versatile shredded chicken is great for meal prep and makes excellent leftovers that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
- The dish pairs wonderfully with fresh greens like Swiss chard for lettuce wraps or can be served with tortillas for tacos or burritos.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to taste depending on your preference for heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the shredded chicken
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 574 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
