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Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

5 from 130 reviews

This Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe offers a simple and flavorful way to enjoy tender chicken simmered with bell peppers and pineapple in a tangy, honey-sweetened sauce. Perfect for a hands-off meal, the slow cooker method allows the dish to develop rich flavors while keeping the chicken juicy and tender. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions for a delicious family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Vegetables

  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in 100% juice, undrained

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve

  • Cooked rice
  • Sliced green onions

Instructions

  1. Prepare and layer ingredients: Place the cut chicken pieces, red and green bell peppers, and the entire can of pineapple (including the juice) into a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste to start building the base flavor.
  2. Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, honey, apple cider vinegar, reduced-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, and ground ginger until the mixture is smooth and well combined. This will be your thick, tangy sweet and sour sauce.
  3. Add sauce to slow cooker: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker, ensuring everything is well coated for even cooking and flavor absorption.
  4. Cook the dish: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and tender. Midway through cooking, gently stir the chicken and sauce to redistribute heat and flavors.
  5. Final seasoning and thickening: Once cooking is complete, taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper if needed. The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools and sits.
  6. Serve and garnish: Serve the sweet and sour chicken hot over cooked rice and garnish with sliced green onions for added freshness and flavor contrast. Enjoy your hearty and comforting meal!

Notes

  • Cut chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking.
  • For extra vegetable variety, add sliced onions or snap peas if desired.
  • If the sauce is too thick after cooking, stir in a little water or pineapple juice to loosen it.
  • Use reduced-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.

Keywords: sweet and sour chicken, crockpot chicken recipe, slow cooker chicken, easy chicken dinner, pineapple chicken, honey chicken