Ready in under 30 minutes, this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken recipe will become a new family favorite dinner! Full of chicken chunks, pineapple, red bell pepper, and a tangy sauce, let the Instant Pot do that hard work for you at your next family dinner with this easy Instant Pot recipe!
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There is no easier dinner than a chop and drop kind of recipe! This Hawaiian Chicken recipe is so easy to make and it's ready in under 30 minutes. When you don't have a lot of time to cook dinner, break out your Instant Pot!
When I made this recipe for the first time, my whole family loved it! I could not believe how much flavor was in this easy meal!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a one pot recipe! It's a chop and drop, set it and forget it kind of recipe. Those are my favorite kind!
- It's a fun twist on chicken dinner! I love a good chicken dinner. Chicken fajitas, chicken tetrazzini, chicken thighs, and chicken legs are some of my other favorite dinners!
- It's great for meal prep! Make a big batch of this Hawaiian chicken recipe and separate it into airtight containers to enjoy throughout the week for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients For Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts. One Pound. Boneless skinless thighs can be used instead of chicken breasts.
- Red Bell Peppers. Yellow bell peppers, orange bell peppers, or green bell peppers can be used instead.
- Canned Pineapple Chunks. One 20 ounce can.
- Soy sauce. Coconut aminos would work as well!
- Barbecue sauce. Your favorite variety or your can make your own and use this 2 ingredient barbecue sauce.
- Brown Sugar
- Rice Vinegar. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used instead.
- Garlic powder.
- Cornstarch. This acts as the thickening agent for the sauce.
Equipment You'll Need
- Instant Pot. I have a 6-quart Instant Pot that I love using!
- Knives
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Spoons
Let's Make Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken!
Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces. Chop the bell pepper into bite sized pieces.
Add all the ingredients except the cornstarch to the Instant Pot. Stir all the ingredients to combine them.
Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the knob is set to the sealing position. Set the cook time to 12 minutes on high pressure. After 12 minutes of cook time, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes. After the natural release is complete, quick release any remaining pressure, and open the lid.
Take ½ cup of the sauce and place it in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the bowl and mix well. Pour the cornstarch slurry back into the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot to "Sauté". Cook until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Serve immediately over a bed of rice topped with green onions or sesame seeds.
Tips and Tricks
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure before it will begin cooking.
- To avoid getting the burn notice on your Instant Pot, make sure there is enough liquid in the Instant Pot so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Be sure to add the pineapple juice into the pot and if you still feel like there is not enough liquid, add 1 cup of chicken broth to the Instant Pot.
- Serve this easy recipe with long grain white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. You can make Hawaiian bbq chicken sandwiches by adding this chicken to sourdough bread or dinner rolls.
- To make this a little spicier, add crushed red pepper flakes or a few tablespoons of sriracha to the Instant Pot.
How To Make Hawaiian Chicken in the Slow Cooker
To make this recipe in the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker except the cornstarch. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
After the cooking time is over, take ½ cup of the sauce and place it in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix well. Add the sauce and cornstarch mixture back into the slow cooker and mix well. Set the slow cooker to high and allow the sauce to thicken. Serve over rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Place the whole frozen chicken into the Instant Pot with the rest of the ingredients. Increase the cooking time to 22 minutes instead of 12 minutes. When the cooking is complete, you can either chop the chicken or shred it and add it back into the sauce.
Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Place any leftovers in an airtight container. When you are ready to reheat the recipe, place it in a bowl and microwave the chicken for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is heated through.
Yes! If you are using fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple, make sure to add extra liquid. Add 2 cups of chicken broth or water to the Instant Pot before cooking.
Other Recipes To Try!
Did you love this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe? If you did, don't forget to tag me on social media on Instagram or Facebook and share this recipe on Pinterest! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and enjoy these delicious recipes!
📖 Recipe
The Easiest Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Diced
- 2 Red Bell Peppers Diced
- 20 ounce Chunked Pineapple Canned
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Barbecue Sauce Your Favorite Variety
- ⅓ cup Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces. Chop the bell pepper into bite sized pieces.
- Add all the ingredients except the cornstarch to the Instant Pot. Stir all the ingredients to combine them.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the knob is set to the sealing position. Set the cook time to 12 minutes on high pressure.
- After 12 minutes of cook time, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes. After the natural release is complete, quick release any remaining pressure, and open the lid.
- Take ½ cup of the sauce and place it in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the bowl and mix well.
- Pour the cornstarch slurry back into the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot to "Sauté". Cook until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Serve immediately over a bed of rice topped with green onions or sesame seeds.
Notes
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure before it will begin cooking.
- Serve this easy recipe with long grain white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. You can make Hawaiian bbq chicken sandwiches by adding this chicken to sourdough bread or dinner rolls.
- To make this a little spicier, add crushed red pepper flakes or a few tablespoons of sriracha to the Instant Pot.
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