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Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 131 reviews

Huli Huli Chicken is a flavorful Hawaiian BBQ dish featuring tender, juicy chicken thighs marinated in a sweet, tangy, and smoky sauce made with pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. It’s perfect for grilling and embodies the tropical taste of the islands with a teriyaki-like glaze that caramelizes beautifully on the grill.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 4–5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Marinade

  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup light soy sauce
  • ½ cup canned pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste or minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste or minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)

Grill Toppings and Garnish

  • 1 pineapple or 1 can of pineapple rings (drained)
  • ½ cup sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry thoroughly to ensure the marinade sticks well.
  2. Make the marinade: In a large bowl or gallon-size Ziploc bag, combine the brown sugar, ketchup, light soy sauce, pineapple juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, apple cider vinegar, cumin, black pepper, and paprika. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
  3. Reserve sauce: Remove ½ cup of the marinade mixture and set aside for serving and finishing the chicken later.
  4. Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the remaining marinade, making sure every piece is completely submerged and coated. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to let the flavors fully develop and tenderize the meat.
  5. Preheat the grill: Heat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
  6. Grill the chicken: Place the marinated chicken thighs on the hot grill and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes to get nice grill marks and develop a crust. Then flip the chicken and continue grilling until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about another 10 minutes. Discard the used marinade.
  7. Grill the pineapple rings: When the chicken is halfway cooked, add the pineapple rings to the grill. Cook them until golden and slightly caramelized on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  8. Finish the chicken: Remove the chicken and pineapple from the grill. Brush the reserved marinade onto the chicken. Optionally, place the chicken under a broiler for a few minutes to thicken and caramelize the sauce, or simmer the reserved marinade on the stovetop until slightly thickened before brushing it on.
  9. Serve: Garnish the chicken with sliced green onions. Serve immediately with grilled pineapple and your choice of side dishes like rice and fresh vegetables.

Notes

  • Store leftover Huli Huli Chicken covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
  • Freeze leftovers for up to 1 month, but do not refreeze if the chicken was previously frozen.
  • Adjust seasoning of the reserved marinade before brushing, adding more sugar if a sweeter BBQ flavor is desired.
  • Clean under grill grates before cooking and allow excess marinade to drip off the chicken to prevent flare-ups and burning.
  • You may use any chicken cut; bone-in or larger pieces will require longer grilling times.

Keywords: Huli Huli Chicken, Hawaiian BBQ chicken, grilled chicken thighs, pineapple chicken, sweet and tangy chicken, teriyaki chicken

Find it online: https://dylangranv.com/huli-huli-chicken-recipe-2/