Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Absolutely! Chicken breasts will work, but they tend to dry out more easily than thighs. I recommend reducing the pressure cooking time to 3 minutes with a 10-minute natural release to keep them juicy. You might also want to cut them into slightly larger pieces than you would the thighs.

What if I don't have an Instant Pot?

No problem! You can make this in a slow cooker by sautéing the vegetables in a pan first, then combining all ingredients except the cornstarch in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours, then thicken with cornstarch at the end.

Can I make this recipe less sweet?

Definitely. The sweetness comes primarily from the brown sugar and pineapple. Try reducing the brown sugar to 3 tablespoons and use unsweetened pineapple juice if the regular version is too sweet for your taste.

The recipe as written has just a gentle warmth from the hot sauce and red pepper flakes. If you're sensitive to heat, omit the red pepper flakes. If you love spice, double them or add a diced jalapeño to the vegetable sauté.

Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

Name: Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon hot sauce; 1/3 cup light brown sugar; 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce; 1/4 cup ketchup; 3/4 cup pineapple juice; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into chunks; 1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into chunks; 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced; 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 8 ounce can of pineapple chunks (do not drain); 3 Tablespoons cornstarch; 3 Tablespoons water; Green onion

Description

This Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken is a flavorful and delicious blend of sweet and savory tastes with tender chicken and tropical pineapple flavors. It’s an easy, one-pot comfort meal perfect for weeknight dinners or when you want to impress your family with a hearty dish full of vibrant textures and flavors. Serve it over steamed rice for a satisfying finish.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Sauce

1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup pineapple juice

For the Chicken

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground ginger
8 ounce can of pineapple chunks (do not drain)

For Thickening the Sauce

3 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons water

For Garnish

Green onion

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Instructions

Prepare the Sauce
Combine the hot sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, and pineapple juice in a small bowl. Whisk together until well mixed and set aside.
Saute the Vegetables
Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and set it to saute mode. Add the green and red bell peppers, and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Then, add the diced yellow onions and cook for another 5 minutes until the onions soften.
Cook the Chicken
Add the cubed chicken, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, ground ginger, and pineapple chunks (with the juice) to the Instant Pot. Stir constantly for 1 minute to thoroughly combine the flavors. Cancel saute mode.
Add the Sauce
Pour the prepared sauce into the Instant Pot. Stir everything together to ensure the chicken and vegetables are coated evenly.
Pressure Cook
Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure the valve is set to “Sealing.” Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the cooking time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully opening the valve to release any remaining pressure.
Thicken the Sauce
Switch the Instant Pot to saute mode again. In a small bowl, make a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and water, and then stir this mixture into the Instant Pot. Let the sauce simmer for about 3 minutes until it thickens. Cancel saute mode.
Serve
Serve the Hawaiian chicken over cooked rice, garnished with green onion for a fresh, bright finish.

Notes

For a gluten-free option, substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
You can also substitute chicken thighs with boneless, skinless chicken breasts if preferred.
To cut down on prep time, you can use pre-cut vegetables.
Pair this dish with a side of steamed vegetables or sautéed greens for a complete meal.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 320kcal
Sugar: 14g
Sodium: 790
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 35g
Cholesterol: 95