Hawaiian Haystacks were not a staple in our household growing up. The few times I had them were at church activities or friend’s houses and I always remembered loving the idea of them. Any dinner where you get to customize it yourself with a massive assortment of toppings is okay in my book!
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started making these myself, and only here and there. The key to an amazing flavor is making the chicken sauce from scratch rather than using doctored canned cream of chicken soup. It only takes an extra 5 minutes to make the sauce from scratch and the difference in flavor is SO much better. Trust me.
This chicken sauce is super simple, flavorful, and quick to make—since keeping Hawaiian Haystacks “easy” is nonnegotiable! You can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes! The best part about these is that you can choose whatever toppings you love most and run from there! I’ll include a list of everything I’ve seen used as toppings down below, but feel free to get creative!
I’ve also included a few notes on how to make these gluten-free and dairy free for those whose dietary restrictions or preferences require it!
Super Simple Hawaiian Haystacks (from Scratch)
serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded or cut into chunks OR 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken OR 2 cans canned chicken (the Kirkland brand is super yummy in this)
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow onion (about 1/2 cup), finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/4 cup flour* (gluten-free flour can be substituted in place of the regular flour)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup milk* (see below for dairy-free suggestions)
1/2 cup sour cream*
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning (or your favorite chicken seasoning such as McCormick, etc.)
2-3 cups cooked rice, for serving (white or brown is recommended, but use whatever you have!)
2 T cornstarch (optional—add if your sauce isn’t quite thick enough)
Dairy Free instructions: *If you want to make these dairy free, use 1 cup canned coconut milk or almond milk in place of the sour cream and regular milk. You may also need to add a little cornstarch to thicken the mixture if it’s a little runny. Start with 2 T and add more if necessary.
Topping Ideas
Avocado
Tomatoes
Bell pepper
Shredded cheese
Shredded coconut
Fresh spinach
Mandarin oranges
Pineapple
Green onion
Celery
Roasted broccoli
Peas
Black Olives
Crispy chow mein noodles
Slivered almonds
Directions
If you aren’t using rotisserie chicken or canned chicken, cook your chicken breasts, shred or chop them, and set them aside.
Start your rice according to package directions.
In a medium-sized pot, melt butter over medium heat. Once sizzling, add chopped onions and sauté for a minute or two, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add flour and gently stir until flour has browned slightly, about 1 minute.
Gently whisk in chicken broth, milk, and sour cream. Stir to combine and then add in bouillon cube, salt and pepper, extra seasonings, and the cooked chicken.
Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t brown.
Serve over rice and top with toppings of your choice (see above for suggestions).
0 thoughts on “SIMPLE HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS (FROM SCRATCH)”
Do you think I could substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream? We don’t have that here in Brazil. That’s usually the swap we make! I am so excited for this recipe because we love haystacks, but they don’t have Cream of Chicken soup here!
Do you think I could substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream? We don’t have that here in Brazil. That’s usually the swap we make! I am so excited for this recipe because we love haystacks, but they don’t have Cream of Chicken soup here!
Yes, you can! Greek yogurt works best, but use whatever you can find! Sorry that it took so long for me to see this comment!