Slow Cooker Huli Huli Chicken – slow cooked chicken in a sweet and sour sauce with a Hawaiian twist! A kid favorite!
My kid goes back to school today which means the holidays are officially over for us.
We celebrated his last day of freedom by sledding pretty much all day. It was the most fun I’ve had in a very long time and I’ll be anxiously awaiting our next decent snow.
I haven’t really been cooking since the kid and husband started their holiday breaks but it’s time to get back to it now. And what better way to ease myself into it than with the slow cooker?
Huli Huli Chicken is a Hawaiian chicken dish that’s typically made over a fire but this version is super simple in the slow cooker.
And then because slow cooked chicken can look kind of pale, you finish it off in the oven, brushing it with the delicious sweet and sour sauce.
The sauce kind of caramelized in the oven and becomes extra delicious.
You guys know that I’ve shied away from recipes that call for ketchup in the sauce but I am so happy I decided to make this one anyway. My entire family loved it and I’ll definitely be making it again.
- 2/3 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice about 2 limes
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated or minced
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil spray
- 4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken (breasts, thighs, and/or drumsticks)
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Simmer pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a medium saucepan until thickened and measures about 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Spray slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Transfer 1/2 cup of the sauce to the slow cooker; reserve remaining sauce separately. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to slow cooker, and coat evenly with sauce. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.
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Preheat oven to 450F. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to an aluminum foil lined baking sheet; discard braising liquid.
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Brush chicken with some reserved sauce and baking, brushing with more sauce every few minutes, until it has a deep, mahogany color, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Things you may need for this recipe:
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- Slow Cooker
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- Rimmed Baking Sheet
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- Rubber Spatula
Want more slow cooker recipes?
Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Rice
I love Huli Huli sauce! I only recently stumbled across a homemade recipe, as my dad always bought it bottled straight from Hawaii growing up. I sent him the recipe to save him the cost of that order haha. I’ll have to tell him about doing it in a slow cooker too.
Oh my holy yum.
Have you tried just dumping everything into the slow cooker? I am always on the lookout for easy one step slowcooker meals. I get the oven carmelization, but do you HAVE to thicken the sauce first? Just wondering if you have already tried it like this. Thanks for sharing!
No, I haven’t tried doing it but I’m sure it would be fine. The flavors would still be there whether you simmer the sauce or not. It just might not coat the chicken at the end. :)
Your day of sledding sounds like so much fun! I really need to buy myself a slow cooker – this chicken looks so good, and I love how easy it is!
Always a lover of Hawaiian dishes and this is no exception! sounds delicious :)
I just tried this and it was amazing! I added a little extra ketchup and brown sugar to make the sauce thicker like a store bought bbq and added chili flakes for some heat. Your directions were great and easy to follow. I can’t wait to make this again when we have guests over. Thanks so much for the recipe.
I made this for my family tonight and it was a hit! I have already received a request for it again! Thanks for sharing a keeper for our fam!
Awesome! This reminds me that I need to make it again! Thanks for coming back to let me know! :)
My family doesn’t like chicken skin. How do you think it would turn out if I used boneless skinless chicken?