When I’m stuck in a creative slump, I turn to friends and family for recipe ideas. My cousin Ashley always recommends one dish: Hawaiian Chicken.
Every. Single. Time.
Even though Ashley had been urging me to try it for over a year, I kept delaying — for no real reason. After finally making it, I wished I had done it sooner. The sauce is a bright, tangy, slightly spicy blend of pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, rice or apple cider vinegar, sriracha, and honey barbecue sauce. The chicken cooks low and slow, absorbing all those flavors so every bite is saucy and satisfying. In short: YUM.
Sorry for doubting you, Ash.
At first I planned to pile the shredded chicken onto buns for sliders (which would be delicious), but then I got distracted by tacos — an irresistible idea. The pulled Hawaiian BBQ chicken paired with a crunchy pineapple slaw tucked into a warm flour tortilla with a sprinkle of sharp cheddar made for an unforgettable combo. Tacos for the win.
Leftovers are incredibly versatile. Use the Hawaiian BBQ chicken on salads, in sandwiches, on pizza (try it with bacon and pineapple chunks), or over pineapple-fried rice. If you have other ideas, I’d love to hear them — I’m already planning my next batch.
If you want to switch proteins, pork shoulder works beautifully in place of the chicken for a pulled pork version. Either way, this recipe is a winner you’ll want to make again.
Try it and you’ll soon understand why I can’t wait to make it again.
Crock Pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Slaw
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.9 from 7 reviews
Author: Morgan
Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken:
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- ½ cup honey BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ)
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1–2 tablespoons sriracha, to taste
- 12 flour tortillas
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
For the Pineapple Slaw:
- ½ small purple cabbage, sliced thin
- ¼ medium green cabbage, sliced thin
- ¼ fresh pineapple, cored and diced
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Spray a crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey BBQ sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and sriracha until well combined.
- Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and pour the pineapple mixture over them, fully coating the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shredded.
- While the chicken cooks, combine all slaw ingredients in a large bowl, toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate until serving.
- When the chicken is done, shred it with two forks directly in the sauce and toss to coat. Let it sit in the sauce for about 30 minutes to absorb more flavor. Serve the pulled chicken on warm flour tortillas topped with pineapple slaw and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar.
