My Hawaiian neighbor brought this dish over, and we devoured it!. Full recipe

 

Introduction / Flavor Concept

This dish blends classic Hawaiian flavors — sweetness from pineapple, tropical nuttiness from macadamia nuts, savory & umami from soy/honey marinade — into a slow‑cooked chicken entrée. The slow cooker makes it easy: the chicken becomes tender, and the flavors have time to meld.

The version from CooktopCove includes chicken breasts, pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and macadamia nuts. cooktopcove.com We’ll expand that with tips on how to sear (if you want), thicken the sauce, sides, vegetarian options, scaling, troubleshooting, etc.

You can serve it over rice (jasmine or white rice are classic), or with sides like steamed vegetables, a green salad, or Hawaiian favorites like macaroni salad.

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Full Recipe: Slow Cooker Macadamia Pineapple Chicken

Yield: ~6 servings (adjustable)
Total Time: ~6–7 hours (on low) or ~3–4 hours (on high)
Active Prep Time: ~20–30 minutes

Ingredients

Here’s a full list (with optional extras):

Ingredient	Amount / Notes
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)	6 pieces (or ~1.2–1.5 kg)
Pineapple chunks, drained	1 can (≈ 20 oz / ~560 g) or ~2 cups fresh
Pineapple juice	~½ cup (from the can or extra fresh)
Soy sauce	¼ cup
Honey	¼ cup
Minced garlic	2–3 cloves
Minced ginger	~1 teaspoon (or fresh ginger piece)
Macadamia nuts, roughly chopped	1 cup (or ¾ to 1 cup)
Salt & pepper	To taste
(Optional) Olive oil	1 tablespoon (if you wish to sear)
(Optional) Cornstarch + water (slurry)	~1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp water, for thickening sauce
(Optional) Chopped cilantro / parsley	For garnish

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Equipment & Prep Notes

• Slow cooker / crockpot (size ~5 to 6 quart / ~5.0−6 L ideally)

• Knife, cutting board

• Small bowl for marinade / sauce

• Spoon, spatula

• Measuring cups & spoons

• (Optional) Skillet for searing

• (Optional) Bowl for cornstarch slurry

Before you start:

• Always drain the pineapple chunks (reserve juice).

• If your chicken breasts are thick, you may choose to butterfly them or slice them in half so cooking is even.

• Chop macadamia nuts before cooking so they’re ready to add.

• Mince garlic and ginger ahead of time.

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Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Season & (Optional) Sear the Chicken

• Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt & pepper.

• (Optional) In a skillet over medium-high heat, add a bit of olive oil and sear each piece ~2 minutes per side just to develop some color. This step is optional but adds flavor.

2. Make the Sauce & Combine

In a bowl, whisk together:

• Pineapple juice

• Soy sauce

• Honey

• Minced garlic

• Minced ginger

Once mixed, place the chicken in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken, ensuring pieces are coated. Nestle pineapple chunks around/over the chicken.

Scatter the macadamia nuts over the top. Some will sink in; some will remain atop.

Cover the slow cooker.

3. Cook

• Low setting: 6 to 7 hours

• High setting: 3 to 4 hours

You want the chicken to be tender and fully cooked (internal temp ~75 °C / 165 °F).

4. Thicken Sauce (if desired)

Once the chicken is cooked:

• Carefully remove chicken pieces to a plate (or warm dish).

• The liquid left in the slow cooker is your sauce. If it's thin and you prefer a thicker glaze, make a cornstarch slurry: mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp cold water until smooth.

• Stir this slurry into the sauce (in the slow cooker) and let the cooker run uncovered for ~10–15 minutes on high (or for a short period) until the sauce thickens.

• Alternatively, transfer liquid to a small saucepan and thicken on the stovetop.

Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken (or return chicken to sauce).

5. Garnish & Serve

• Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if you like.

• Serve over white or jasmine rice, letting the sauce soak into the rice.

• For a full Hawaiian vibe, serve with Hawaiian macaroni salad or a crisp green salad, steamed vegetables, or perhaps grilled pineapple slices.

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Variations & Adaptations

Here are many ways to adapt this dish depending on your tastes, ingredients, and kitchen:

1. Use chicken thighs instead of breasts
   Thighs tend to stay juicier and handle longer cooking well. Adjust cooking times slightly (they may need a bit more).

2. Add vegetables

   • Bell peppers, red or green, sliced

   • Onion slices

   • Snap peas or snow peas

   • Carrot slices
     Add them in the last 2–3 hours (low) or 1–2 hours (high) so they don’t overcook.

3. Make it spicier
   Add red pepper flakes, Sriracha, chili paste, or diced chili peppers to the sauce.

4. Use fresh pineapple
   Fresh pineapple adds brightness. If very juicy, reduce the extra pineapple juice slightly to keep balance.

5. Nut substitution or mix
   If you can’t find macadamia nuts (they’re pricey in some places), you can substitute with cashews, almonds, or peanuts. But macadamias are tropical and bring a buttery richness.

6. Grill / broil finish
   In the last 10 minutes, you could transfer the chicken to a broiler or grill to get a slight char or caramelization on the top for visual and flavor punch. Be careful not to burn.

7. Make ahead / freezing

   • You can assemble (through step 2) ahead of time, refrigerate overnight, then cook next day (you might need a bit more cooking time).

   • Leftovers freeze well (especially without thickened sauce). Thaw and reheat gently, and re-thicken sauce if needed.

8. Vegetarian / plant-based version
   Use tofu, tempeh, or seitan in place of chicken. Press tofu first, brown lightly, then proceed with sauce + pineapple + nuts. Use vegetable broth instead of any meat juices.

9. Serving style tweaks

   • Instead of over rice, serve with cauliflower rice or quinoa for a lighter version.

   • You can make it into a bowl-style dish: serve chicken & pineapple & nuts over rice, drizzle sauce, top with greens or cilantro.

   • Add a crunchy topping (toasted coconut flakes, extra chopped nuts) just before serving.

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Accompaniments & Side Dishes (to complete your “we devoured it” meal)

To make it a full plate, here are side suggestions:

• White / jasmine rice – classic base for soaking sauce

• Hawaiian macaroni salad – a creamy, slightly sweet mac salad is a staple in island plate lunches

• Steamed or stir-fried greens – e.g. bok choy, spinach, green beans

• Grilled pineapple slices – for extra tropical flair

• Fresh salad – crisp lettuce, cucumber, tomato with light vinaigrette

• Garlic bread or dinner rolls – to mop up sauce

• Chili pepper water – a Hawaiian hot sauce made of red chilies, garlic, salt, and vinegar (serving condiment)

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Tips, Troubleshooting & Notes

• Too much sauce / too thin: Thicken with cornstarch slurry or reduce liquid by letting it cook uncovered in the last 30 minutes.

• Chicken overcooked / dry: Use thighs when possible; avoid cooking too long on high; check early.

• Nuts become soggy: Add extra nuts at the end, or toast them beforehand and sprinkle just before serving.

• Balancing sweetness / saltiness: Taste sauce before cooking fully; adjust honey / soy ratio (if too salty, add a bit more pineapple juice or water).

• Searing helps flavor: The optional sear step adds depth, though the slow cooker will develop flavor anyway.

• Layering flavors: Let sauce marinate a bit in the morning if cooking later helps intensify flavors.

• Serving warm portions: If serving for guests, keep portions warm in a low oven (≈ 100 °C / 200 °F) while plating.

• Garnish energy: Fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley), lime or lemon wedge, or a bit of zest brighten heavy tropical sugar-sauce combos.

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Full Narrative / Walkthrough Version

Here’s how your cooking session might flow:

1. You pick up chicken, canned pineapple (or fresh), soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and macadamia nuts.

2. You chop garlic, peel and slice ginger, drain pineapple, chop nuts.

3. Optionally, you sear chicken in a skillet for 2 minutes per side — just for color.

4. In a bowl, you whisk pineapple juice + soy + honey + garlic + ginger.

5. Into your slow cooker goes chicken, sauce poured over, pineapple chunks added, nuts sprinkled on top. You cover, set on low (~6–7 hrs).

6. As it simmers, your kitchen fills with tropical aroma. You prepare rice and maybe a macaroni salad.

7. Near the end, you test chicken — tender. If sauce is thin, you make a cornstarch slurry and thicken it.

8. You transfer chicken back into the sauce, stir.

9. You plate over rice, drizzle sauce, maybe toast extra nuts or herbs, garnish.

10. You serve family or guests — they take first bites — “This tastes like Hawaii!” — and you beam, because you made it at home.

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Metric / Moroccan‑Friendly Version & Ingredient Alternatives

Here’s a version more suited to metric and substitution options you might find in Morocco or local markets:

Ingredients (metric & substitution ideas)

• Chicken breasts or thighs: ~1.4 kg

• Pineapple chunks (drained): ~500–600 g (fresh or canned)

• Pineapple juice: ~125 ml

• Soy sauce: ~60 ml (or a local soy / tamari equivalent)

• Honey: ~60 ml (or substitute palm sugar / date syrup for local flavor)

• Garlic: 3–4 cloves, minced

• Fresh ginger: ~1 tsp minced (or ginger powder)

• Macadamia nuts: ~150 g (if unavailable, use cashews or almonds)

• Salt & ground black pepper

• Olive oil: ~15 ml (optional for searing)

• Cornstarch slurry: 10 g cornstarch + 10 ml water (if thickening desired)

• Fresh cilantro / parsley for garnish

Instructions (same steps) with local notes

• Use a Moroccan olive oil or neutral vegetable oil for searing.

• If macadamia nuts are expensive, cashews may give a nice tropical crunch.

• Use local honey or date syrup for sweetness.

• Serve over couscous or rice (e.g. basmati) — both work.

• Add local vegetables in season (e.g. bell peppers, zucchini, carrots) to stretch and balance.

• You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to cut sweetness.

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Estimated Nutrition & Serving Size Notes

Rough estimate per serving (when divided into 6):

• Calories: ~450–600 (depending on cut of chicken, amount of nuts, sugar)

• Protein: ~30–40 g

• Fat: ~15–25 g (nuts contribute)

• Carbohydrates: ~25–40 g (from pineapple, honey, sauce)

• Fiber, vitamins from pineapple and optional vegetables

Because it’s a tropical, “treaty” dish, portions of sauce and nuts drive calories. Serve with vegetables and moderate rice to balance.

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Why This Dish Hits Hard & What Makes It “Devourable”

• Contrast of flavors: Sweet pineapple + salty soy + nuttiness + aromatic garlic/ginger

• Texture interplay: Tender chicken + juicy pineapple + crunchy nuts

• Ease & low fuss: Slow cooker handles most work while you prep sides

• Tropical / comfort hybrid: Something exotic, but still homey and warming

• High “wow” factor: Guests often don’t believe a slow cooker made something so layered

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If you like, I can also send you a printable PDF version, or a lighter / lower sugar version, or one that’s oven / stovetop version (no slow cooker). Do you want me to send you one of those now?