This easy Crockpot Hawaiian Haystack recipe is a dinner that the whole family is sure to love. It's customizable with your favorite toppings and is simple enough to make a laid back, yet delicious, weeknight dinner.
Table Of Contents
This simple recipe for Hawaiian haystacks in the slow cooker makes a creamy flavorful shredded chicken atop a bed of fluffy basmati rice layered with wholesome toppings, like pineapple chunks and crunchy noodles. It's one of my favorite crockpot meals, along with slow cooker pepper steak, crockpot Middle Eastern beef stew and loaded baked potato soup.
What Are Hawaiian Haystacks?
A Hawaiian Haystack is a layered dish that starts with a base of rice and is topped with a creamy chicken sauce (usually made from cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and shredded chicken). The dish is then customized with a variety of toppings, such as pineapple chunks, coconut flakes, crispy chow mein noodles, sliced olives, peas, green onions, tomatoes, and shredded cheese.
It’s a popular, customizable meal often served at gatherings or family dinners. Despite the name, it’s not actually a traditional Hawaiian dish—it's more of a Midwest favorite. The name likely comes from the pineapple topping, giving it a "Hawaiian" feel.
Why You'll Love Slow Cooker Hawaiian Haystacks
- It makes an easy and wholesome family dinner with little hands on work and preparation, making it great for busy days.
- The toppings are up to you- use what you love to make it guaranteed to be enjoyed by your family.
- You can serve our Hawaiian chicken buffet style, so everyone chooses the toppings they like.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make this crockpot Hawaiian chicken recipe.
For the Chicken & Sauce
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cans (10.5 oz each) cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup chicken broth (or water and 1 chicken bouillon cube)
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix
- 1 cup sour cream
To Serve
- 4 cups cooked Basmati rice (see how to make perfect basmati rice in your pressure cooker)
Assorted Toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese
- chow mein noodles
- sliced black olives
- diced tomatoes
- pineapple chunks
- toasted coconut flakes
- sliced green onions (scallions)
- sliced almonds
- peas
- corn
- mandarin orange slices
- sliced mangos
- diced bell peppers
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and Italian dressing mix. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Set to low heat and cook for 4–6 hours, or on high heat for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred easily. The chicken needs to reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a digital thermometer.
- Once cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir in the 1 cup of sour cream until fully incorporated.
- Set out all of the toppings buffet-style so everyone can customize their own haystack. To assemble your haystack bowl, place a scoop of cooked Basmati rice onto the plate and spoon the shredded chicken and creamy sauce over the rice. Add your desired toppings from the selection provided above to create your custom haystack.
Chef's Tips
If the sauce is too thick after adding the sour cream, stir in additional chicken broth to reach the desired consistency. If it's too thin, let it cook uncovered on high for the last 15–30 minutes to thicken.
How To Store
Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the chicken and sauce mixture for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, warm leftover chicken and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Recipe FAQs
No, it is not safe to use frozen chicken in slow cooker recipes. Always thaw the chicken first.
Yes! Substitute basmati rice with brown rice, parboiled white rice, a wild rice blend, quinoa, farro, barley or cauliflower rice for a different base or to suit dietary preferences.
You can cook the rice in the crockpot with the chicken to make this meal even easier. To do this, add 2 cups of basmati rice with 4 cups of water to the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir to cover the rice, then follow the recipe as instructed. Keep in mind though, that when rice is cooked for more than 2-3 hours in a slow cooker (especially on the high setting) it may become overcooked.
Recipe
Crockpot Hawaiian Haystacks
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup 10.5 oz each
- ½ cup chicken broth or ½ cup water plus 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 cups cooked basmati rice
Toppings
- pineapple chunks
- chow mein noodles
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sliced black olives
- diced tomatoes
- toasted coconut flakes
- sliced green onions
- sliced almonds
- peas
- mandarin orange slices
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and Italian dressing mix. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Set to low heat and cook for 4–6 hours, or on high heat for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred easily. The chicken needs to reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a digital thermometer.
- Once cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir in the 1 cup of sour cream until fully incorporated.
- Set out all of the toppings buffet-style so everyone can customize their own haystack. To assemble your haystack bowl, place a scoop of cooked Basmati rice onto the plate and spoon the shredded chicken and creamy sauce over the rice. Add your desired toppings to create your custom haystack.
Kris
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. It turned out great!