Ingredients
2lbschicken breast,halves, boneless, skinless
½cupketchup
⅓cuppineapple juice,apple juice could be substituted
¼cupsoy sauce,low sodium
¼cuphoney
2½tspmolasses
¼tspliquid smoke
¼tspcoconut extract
½tspginger,ground
½tsponion powder
½tspgarlic powder
freshly-ground black pepper,to taste
1tbspcold water
1tbspcornstarch
2tbsptomato paste
onions,green, diced, optional
onions,red, grilled
6pineapple rings,fresh, cut about ½-inch thick
4tbspbrown sugar,divided
1tbspbutter,divided
Preparation
Place the chicken in a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, whisk together ketchup, pineapple juice, low sodium soy sauce, honey, molasses, liquid smoke, coconut extract, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Pour the sauce over chicken in the slow cooker, cover with the lid, and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken from the slow cooker, shred and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together cold water and cornstarch, pour in sauce from slow cooker, and add tomato paste.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Return the chicken to the slow cooker, or the mixing bowl, pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to evenly coat.
Serve warm on hamburger buns, along with glazed or grilled pineapple and diced green onions or grilled red onions.
Working in 2 separate batches, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch non-stick skillet.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown sugar on one side of the pineapple rings, about 1 teaspoon per ring. Add the pineapple to the skillet, brown sugar side down, and saute over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until golden on the bottom.
Sprinkle another 1 tablespoon over the tops of the pineapple rings in the pan,1 teaspoon per ring, then flip and cook the opposite side for about 3 minutes until lightly browned. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pineapple rings.
