Huli Huli Chicken
This Hawaiian favorite marinates chicken thighs in a sweet-savory blend of pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger, then grills and bastes it repeatedly until deeply caramelized and sticky. "Huli" means "turn" in Hawaiian, a nod to the constant flipping that builds layers of glaze.
By YumYum Editorial · BBQ & Grilling
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 45 min · Serves 6
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade in a separate container for basting later; refrigerate it.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable bag or dish with the remaining marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and discard the used marinade.
- Meanwhile, simmer the reserved 1/2 cup marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened; this is your basting glaze.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat, about 350-375°F, for two-zone cooking.
- Grill the chicken skin-side down over indirect heat for 15 minutes, then flip and continue cooking, basting with the thickened glaze every 5 minutes and turning frequently, for 15-20 more minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is deeply glazed and caramelized.
- Rest 5 minutes, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve.