I am loving the slow cooker for foods beyond its usual roasts and soups! Using our slow cooker often makes me feel justified in giving it premium cabinet real estate in our smaller kitchen. And unconventional Crock Pot meals feel fun!
Here is a slow cooker version of the classic and crowd-pleasing sweet and sour chicken. All of the bell pepper and pineapple flavor in a silky, thick, tangy sauce.
This is - I think - a particularly easy slow cooker recipe: Toss bell peppers, onions, and pineapple in your slow cooker, place chicken breasts on top, and cover in an easy (6-ingredient!) homemade sweet and sour sauce. Once it's all cooked, you'll chop up the chicken and thicken the sauce with cornstarch.
Good for beginners, stir fry lovers, and anyone who wants the convenience of slow cooker usage without the heaviness that slow cookers tend to yield.
AND ALSO I need to tell you maybe my favorite thing about this sweet and sour chicken: minimal handling of raw chicken. Chopping chicken once it's cooked seems infinitely more appealing to me than chopping raw chicken!
Is this going to be Crock Pot mush?
No! I would never do that to you. Since this cooks on "high" for a shorter time, the vegetables will remain crisp and the chicken will not get mushy!
Can I cook this on "low"?
I don't see why not, but please know that I didn't test this! You might run the risk of the dreaded homogenous Crock Pot texture if you do the standard 6-8 hours on "low" here. If that doesn't bother you - go for it! To get more tender-crisp peppers and a stir fry feel, I recommend cooking on "high".
Will this keep well?
Yes! The chicken here isn't breaded, so this sweet and sour chicken makes really good leftovers. You can refrigerate or freeze to reheat later.
What kind of rice should I eat with this?
White and brown are equally good - depending on what you're in the mood for. I almost always make this white rice (perfectly fluffy and sticky) here, but this brown rice (foolproof! in the oven!) is another good option.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup pineapple cubes
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- For serving: prepared rice
Directions
- Combine bell pepper, onion, and pineapple in the basin of a slow cooker. Place chicken breasts on top.In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.Remove chicken to a cutting board and cube. Remove 1 cup of hot liquid from the slow cooker to a small bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch until no lumps remain. Pour slurry into the slow cooker and stir until smooth and sauce has thickened. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and toss to coat in sauce. Serve over rice.
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