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Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Crockpot sweet and sour chicken with tender chicken chunks and colorful bell peppers simmered in a tangy pineapple sauce, then thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Set it on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours for a takeout-style meal-prep dinner over steamed rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breasts
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
red bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
green bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
onion
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
pineapple juice
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
brown sugar
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
ketchup
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
rice vinegar
  • 0.25 cup rice vinegar
soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
water
  • 2 tbsp water
garlic
  • 2 clove cloves garlic, minced
ginger
  • 1 tsp grated ginger

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add ingredients to the slow cooker
  1. Place chicken, bell peppers, onion, and pineapple chunks into the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture and spread everything into an even layer.
Cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours (or HIGH for 3–4 hours) until the chicken is tender.
  2. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth.
  3. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the crockpot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  4. Keep the lid on and continue cooking until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken, with visible glossy bubbles.
Serve
  1. Serve the sweet and sour chicken over steamed rice.
  2. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk the slurry well and stir promptly at the 30-minute mark so it thickens evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended due to sauce texture changes. For a lower-sugar option, use a brown sugar substitute or reduce the brown sugar slightly.