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Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Crockpot sweet and sour chicken makes tender chicken with colorful bell peppers and pineapple in a thick, glossy sauce. Slow-cooker cooking keeps the flavor balanced—tangy, savory, and sweet—while the final slurry thickens it to cling to every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Vegetables and fruit
  • 1 count red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 count green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 count medium yellow onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
Sweet and sour sauce
  • 0.5 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.333 cup ketchup
  • 0.333 cup packed brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Thickener and finishing
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 2 count green onions, sliced
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and layer
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper, making sure the pieces are evenly coated. This gives the chicken a well-balanced base flavor.
  2. Arrange the chicken pieces evenly in the slow cooker to promote even heating. Keep the pieces in a single, fairly even layer.
  3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and yellow onion over the chicken. Spread them out so they cook through but stay distinct.
  4. Whisk the pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger until smooth. The sauce should look uniform and glossy.
  5. Pour the sweet-and-sour sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Stir gently just enough to coat so peppers keep their color.
Slow cook and add pineapple
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or HIGH for 1½–2½ hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F and stays tender. Visual cue: bubbling is minimal on LOW and more active on HIGH.
  2. Stir in the pineapple chunks during the final 30 minutes of cooking. Watch for the sauce to start turning more intensely glossy around the pineapple.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk the cornstarch with cold water until completely smooth. Use no lumps so the sauce thickens evenly.
  2. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for another 15–20 minutes. Visual cue: the sauce thickens to a clingy, glossy texture.
  3. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds right before serving. Serve while the peppers remain colorful and the chicken is generously coated with sauce.

Notes

For best results, cut the chicken into similar 1½-inch pieces so everything finishes at the same time. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently in a covered pan or microwave until hot. Freezing is not ideal because the peppers can soften after thawing, but you can freeze if needed. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar slightly and keep the sauce balance by adding an extra teaspoon of rice vinegar if it tastes too sweet.