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This Instant Pot Hawaiian chicken is loaded with flavor and is ready to serve in less than 20 minutes. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal, this dump-and-go dinner is one the whole family will love.
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When it comes to getting dinner on the table in a hurry I more often or not turn to my trusty Instant Pot! The flavors in this chicken recipe are to die for and yet it’s so simple and easy to make!
If you love your Instant Pot as much as I love mine, be cure to check out my Zuppa Toscana and Ham and White Bean Soup.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Sweet & tangy tropical flavors: Juicy chicken is simmered with pineapple and a flavorful sauce that will transport your taste buds straight to the islands.
- Quick & easy weeknight dinner: The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting, making this a hands-off recipe you can prep in just minutes—perfect for busy families!
- Kid-approved & family-friendly: The delicious combination of savory chicken and sweet pineapple is a guaranteed hit with picky eaters and adults alike.
Ingredient Highlights
- Chicken Breast: Tender, diced chicken absorbs the sweet and tangy sauce, making it juicy and flavorful.
- Seasoning: The salt & white pepper enhance the natural flavors of the chicken and balances the sweetness of the sauce.
- Sauces & sweeteners: The hoisin sauce adds a deep, rich, and slightly sweet umami flavor. The soy sauce (or tamari) provides a savory, salty base. Use tamari for a gluten-free option. The brown sugar (or coconut sugar/honey) balances the tanginess and creates the signature Hawaiian-inspired sweetness.
- Tangy additions: The white vinegar adds a bright, tangy kick to balance the sweetness. The pineapple chunks provide natural sweetness and texture, with the juice enhancing the fruity flavor.
- Aromatics: The minced ginger brings a warm and slightly spicy note. The minced garlic adds depth and savoriness to the dish.
How To Make Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
- Season chicken lightly with salt and white pepper. Place chicken pieces on the trivet in your instant pot as best as possible to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the entire can of pineapple chunks with juice over the chicken. In a medium bowl whisk hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and add to the instant pot.
- Close the lid, and turn the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for six minutes with quick release. When the cooking cycle is complete, mix the cornstarch with the same amount of liquid from the pot, to create a slurry, and add it back to the pot to thicken the sauce.
- Add the chicken and the pineapple chunks back to the Instant Pot and stir to coat. Serve warm over rice and top with cilantro.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Tips & Recipe Notes
- You can wait until the end to add salt and pepper if you wish. I went light on the salt since the soy sauce is already pretty salty.
- If you don’t have any fresh ginger on hand you can substitute it with 1 tsp of ground ginger powder.
- If you like things spicy, try adding in some chili flakes or sriracha!
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days and reheated on the stovetop. Take care to only reheat the chicken once.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this chicken recipe over rice but you can also serve it over cauliflower rice for a low-carb & grain-free option, or even over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
You can also serve it with steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, or bok choy.
Make It In The Slow Cooker
You can make this Hawaiian Chicken recipe in the crockpot. Follow the instructions here:
- Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer in the slow cooker. Add the pineapple chunks & juice on top. In a medium bowl whisk hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and add to the chicken & pineapple.
- Close the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
- When the cooking time is over, remove the chicken & pineapple chunks. In a small bowl, make a slurry of the cornstarch and the sauce. When the cornstarch is dissolved, add the slurry back to the slow cooker and stir everything until the sauce thickens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pineapple chicken is the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and salty. The chicken is coated in a thick sticky sauce and the flavor of pineapple is wonderfully refreshing. There are only a few simple ingredients in this recipe but the taste is out of this world.
Ordinarily, if you were making Hawaiian chicken, it would require at least two hours marinating time to get the chicken nice and tender. Because we are cooking this in the Instant Pot you can skip that marinade, the pressure cooker cooks this chicken so perfectly without needing that extra time.
I like to use skinless chicken breast for this recipe, but you can use boneless and skinless thigh if you prefer. Remove any excess fat and cut it into evenly sized-chunks. If you can, use free run or organic chicken. There’s no need to pre-cook the chicken…just dump and go!
Yes, you can use frozen chicken for this recipe. Just increase the cooking time to 10 minutes.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Honey and Sesame Chicken
- Chicken Tikka Masala
If you enjoyed this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast, diced in about 1-inch cubes
- Salt (approximately 2 tsp) and White Pepper (approximately 3 tsp) to taste
- 1 20 oz can of pineapple chunks in juice
- ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce, or tamari sauce if gluten-free
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, or coconut sugar or honey
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1-2 Tablespoon cornstarch , arrowroot starch if gluten-free
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Season chicken lightly with salt and white pepper. Place chicken pieces on the trivet in your instant pot as best as possible to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the entire can of pineapple chunks with juice over the chicken. In a medium bowl whisk hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and add to the instant pot.
- Close the lid, and turn the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for six minutes with quick release.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, quickly release the pressure. When the pressure is released, remove the chicken and pineapple from instant pot. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the same amount of liquid from the pot, to create a slurry, and add it back to the pot to thicken the sauce.
- Add the chicken and the pineapple chunks back to the Instant Pot and stir to coat. Serve warm over rice and top with cilantro.
Notes
- You can wait until the end to add salt and pepper if you wish. I went light on the salt since the soy sauce is already pretty salty.
- If you don’t have any fresh ginger on hand you can substitute it with 1 tsp of ground ginger powder.
- If you like things spicy, try adding in some chili flakes or sriracha!
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days and reheated on the stovetop. Take care to only reheat the chicken once.
- You can use frozen chicken as well. Just increase the cooking time to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
My Instant Pot is becoming my favorite kitchen tool! I love how quickly dinner comes together. Plus all of that flavor!
I love Hawaiian flavors! What a perfect use of the instant pot!
This was amazing! My super picky teenager LOVED it (her words). Thanks for a great recipe!
This is soooooo tasty! Really glad I happened upon this recipe; super easy to prepare and ready in a snap! Thanks for sharing!
so easy and it turned out AMAZING! This was also my first recipe in my new instant pot and its definitely going down as one of my faves. Make this, it’s worth it and soooo easy!
Best instant pot dinner I’ve made yet!! I’ve made it several times for my family, and we all love it! Thanks for the great recipe! 😄
Made this last night, my husband and I loved it. I will make this again, super easy and I had everything on hand to make.
Recipe looks wonderful. This is a first for me…I have everything for a recipe, even gluten free, arrowroot starch and coconut sugar. My pineapple can is tidbits, not chunks but…I do not have hoisin sauce…I have the ingredients to make it but for only 1/3 cup is it worth it?…is there a sub for hoisin sauce? Maybe will add a drop or 2 of hot sauce. Can’t wait to try it.
I think you can add a BBQ sauce or eve ketchup instead of hoisin sauce. The taste will be a little bit different but it will still taste delicious! 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!