Our family loves Grilled Huli Huli Chicken at our backyard gatherings. The marinade, combining sweetness with the zing of ginger and garlic forms a glaze that coats the chicken as it cooks on the grill.
It’s the kind of meal that beckons everyone to come enjoy with their hands and relish each bite. Believe me, once you taste this Huli Huli Chicken you’ll find yourself making it over and again – just like I did when I made it twice in one week!
Ingredients for Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
- Dark Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to that irresistible caramelized finish on the chicken.
- Ketchup: A timeless ingredient that adds tanginess and depth to the marinade.
- Reduced sodium soy sauce: Balances out the sweetness, with an umami kick. Opting for reduced sodium helps manage the saltiness.
- Sherry or chicken broth: Introduces a touch of acidity and complexity. While sherry offers a flavor chicken stock serves as a fine alternative.
- Dried ginger: Infuses warmth and subtle spiciness into the dish. Fresh ginger can be used if you prefer a bolder flavor.
- Chopped fresh garlic is also added for flavor…Garlic enhances the flavors. Pairs perfectly, with the sweetness.
- For the chicken you can use skinless chicken thighs for their flavorful taste but if you prefer you can opt for chicken breast or tenders as well.
How to Make Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
- Mix the Marinade: Combine brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, sherry (or chicken stock) dried ginger and minced garlic in a bowl until smooth and slightly thick. Remember to set aside ½ cup of marinade for basting it adds an extra burst of absolutely delicious flavor while grilling.
- Marinate the Chicken: Place marinated chicken thighs in a ziplock bag. Pour the remaining marination reserved sauce over them. Seal the bag tightly after squeezing out any air then shake it to ensure all pieces are coated evenly. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight; longer marinating time results, in more flavorful chicken pieces.
Pro Tip: If time is limited even marinating for 2 to 3 hours can make a difference. Overnight marination yields the results.
- Prepare the Grill: Heat your grill to heat when ready to cook. If you’re using a charcoal grill wait until the coals are glowing hot to achieve that sear. For gas grills ensure the grates are well-oiled to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Grilling the Chicken: Take out the chicken from the marinade. Let any extra marinade drip off. Place the chicken thighs on the grill with skin side, for bone-in pieces. Grill each side for 6 to 7 minutes turning them occasionally. In the 5 minutes of cooking brush the chicken with the basting sauce to coat each piece evenly. This final touch will give a flavorful glaze to your chicken.
Tip: Use a meat thermometer to check if it’s done. The internal temperature should reach 165°F for grilled chicken.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once the chicken is fully cooked and has a char take it off the grill. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. This resting time helps redistribute juices so every bite is moist and tasty.
How to Serve Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
- Pair your huli chicken with coconut rice, grilled fresh pineapple slices, and some steamed vegetables, on the side.
- Consider serving the dish alongside a Hawaiian-style macaroni salad or a simple green salad.
Recipe for Huli Huli Sauce
- You can turn the marinade into a sauce by heating it on the stovetop or in the microwave until it thickens.
- Drizzle the sauce over the grilled chicken and pineapple.
The Best Huli Huli Chicken Tips
Enhance Flavor with Marinade: To achieve that flavor in your Huli Huli Chicken marinating it for an extended period is key. Aim for 8 hours but ideally marinate overnight. The longer you let it sit in the marinade the more flavorful each bite will be.
Don’t Forget About Leftover Marinade: Keeping some marinade aside for basting is crucial. While grilling the chicken brush it with this reserved marinade during the minutes of cooking. This step enhances flavor. Gives your chicken a shine.
For juiciness opt for chicken thighs when grilling. They are more forgiving. Tend to retain their moisture even if you accidentally cook them a bit longer. If you prefer using chicken breasts or tenders make sure to monitor the cooking process time to prevent them from drying out.
Make It a Meal: Enhance your meal by pairing your Huli Huli Chicken with coconut rice, grilled pineapple veggies, or a fresh salad, for a dining experience. For an experience consider serving it alongside some grilled pineapple slices or a tropical salsa to add a touch of freshness.
Get Creative with Leftovers: If you happen to have any leftovers (although that’s doubtful!) thinly slice the chicken. Use it in sandwiches, wraps, or salads the day. The flavors develop overnight making the leftovers just as delicious.
Experiment with Variations: While this great recipe is wonderful as it is feel free to make adjustments according to your preferences. You could try incorporating some pineapple juice into the marinade for a twist or add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some extra heat.
Grill Temperature Matters
It’s crucial to preheat your grill pan or grill grates before cooking to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and develops a char on the outside while remaining juicy inside. If you’re using a charcoal grill wait until the coals turn white hot for the grilling results.
Use a Meat Thermometer: To guarantee that your Huli Huli Chicken is perfectly cooked use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. It should reach 165°F before taking it off the grill.
Rest the Chicken: Allow the grilled chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving. This resting period allows the juices to spread evenly throughout the meat making each bite moist and flavorful.
Grilled Huli Huli Chicken FAQ:
Do I need to include pineapple juice in the marinade?
I’m not sure. Fresh pineapple juice contains enzymes that can overly tenderize the grilled chicken and make it mushy. It might be better to use canned pineapple juice than ones.
What about using chicken breasts?
If you’re using chicken breasts you may need to adjust the cooking time. Alternatively opt, for chicken drumsticks.
Can I include pineapple rings?
Certainly! Grilled pineapple rings can be used.
Can bone-in chicken be used for this great recipe?
Absolutely! It is a choice, for this marinade. Just remember to adjust the cooking time as bone in pieces might require a bit time to cook thoroughly.
How long should I let the chicken marinate?
For flavor its recommended to marinate the chicken with the spices for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. If you’re pressed for time marinating for 2 3 hours can still add some taste.
Can I bake this chicken in the oven of grilling it?
Absolutely! If you don’t have access to a hot grill, you can bake the chicken in an oven at 375°F for around 25 30 minutes. Don’t forget to brush it with the reserved marinade through baking.
What are the ingredients in huli huli sauce?
To make huli chicken sauce combine pineapple juice and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes until it thickens slightly
Is Huli Huli sauce recipe similar to teriyaki sauce?
While Teriyaki typically consists of Soy Sauce, Sugar and mirin with a sweet salty profile huli sauce incorporates pineapple juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger which provide fruity notes along, with sweetness.
Check out the printable recipe below and let me know what you think about This Grilled Huli Huli Chicken Recipe (comments below).
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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
- Charcoal Chimney Starter
- Grilling Tongs
- Cast Iron Grill Pan
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- ½ cup of Packed Sugar / Brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons of ketchup
- 6 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
- 2.5 tablespoons of sherry or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon of ground Fresh ginger
- 1½ teaspoons of minced garlic
- 12 boneless skinless chicken breasts / thighs approximately 2.5 pounds
Instructions
Prepare the Marinade:
- Mix together the sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, sherry (or chicken broth) ginger and garlic in a bowl until well combined and smooth. Set aside half a cup, for basting to add flavor while grilling.
Marinate the Chicken:
- Place the raw chicken thighs in a ziplock bag or shallow dish. Pour the remaining marinade over them ensuring each piece is coated evenly. Seal the bag. Cover the dish and refrigerate for least eight hours to overnight for optimal flavor. If time is limited marinating for a couple of hours will suffice.
Get the Grill Ready:
- When you’re set to cook preheat your hot grill to heat. For charcoal grills wait until the coals are white hot, before grilling. When using a gas grill make sure to oil the grates before cooking the chicken to prevent it from sticking.
Grill the Huli Chicken:
- To prepare the Huli Chicken take the chicken out of the marinade. Remove any excess. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 6 7 minutes, on each side turning occasionally. During the 5 minutes of grilling brush the chicken with some reserved marinade for a glaze. The chicken is ready when it reaches a temperature of 165°F.
Rest and Serve:
- After cooking let the grilled chicken rest for a minutes before serving. This helps retain its juiciness and tenderness.
