Huli Huli Chicken Recipe – Sticky, Smoky Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Thighs

HULI HULI CHICKEN GRLLED TO PERGECTIONS LAYERED WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE

Huli Huli Chicken Recipe – Sticky, Smoky Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Thighs

Sticky, smoky Hawaiian grilled chicken thighs marinated in pineapple juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar then finished with a thick caramelized glaze.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Marinate Time4

Total Time4 45

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: best huli huli chicken, easy huli huli chicken, grilled huli huli chicken, hawaiian bbq chicken, hawaiian chicken recipe, Hawaiian Grilled Chicken, huli huli chicken marinade, huli huli chicken recipe, huli huli chicken thighs, huli huli chicken with pineapple, huli huli glaze, huli huli marinade, huli huli sauce, pineapple chicken recipe, sticky grilled chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 282kcal

Author: George - UKeepCooking

Equipment

Gas or Charcoal Grill

Ingredients

For the Marinade and Glaze:

2 lbs chicken thighs (or drumsticks)
¾ cup pineapple juice
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp onion (grated)(the restaurant trick — do not skip this)
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp sriracha (apple cider vinegar)

For the Glaze:

1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water

Garnish:

Green onions sliced
Sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the Marinade: Whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, black pepper, and sriracha if using. Whisk until the brown sugar is fully dissolved.
Before adding any chicken, pour off and reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade into a separate container and refrigerate it. This reserved portion will become your glaze and must never touch raw chicken.
Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-lock bag or shallow dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the best results.
When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This helps it cook more evenly on the grill.
Grill the Chicken: Preheat your grill to medium heat and oil the grates well. Huli huli marinade contains a lot of sugar which makes it prone to sticking — a well-oiled grate is important.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Grill over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, turning every 8 to 10 minutes. You want consistent turning — this is the "huli huli" method and it is what builds even color and caramelization on all sides.
Do not rush the heat. Medium is the right temperature. High heat will burn the outside before the inside is cooked through.
Make the Glaze: While the chicken is grilling, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan. Mix the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl until smooth, then stir the slurry into the boiling marinade. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the glaze is thick and glossy. Remove from heat.
Glaze and Finish: In the last 5 minutes of grilling, brush the thickened glaze generously onto the chicken on all sides. Let it cook into the surface and caramelize slightly. This is the step that gives you that sticky, lacquered finish. A little char at the edges during this step is normal and desirable.
Pull the chicken when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Oven Method: No grill? Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the marinated chicken on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, brushing with the thickened glaze in the last 5 minutes. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes at the end if you want more color on top.

Notes

Use canned or bottled pineapple juice, not fresh. Fresh pineapple juice contains an enzyme called bromelain that will over-tenderize the chicken and make it mushy. Canned is the right call here every time.

Low-sodium soy sauce keeps this from being too salty once the marinade reduces down into a glaze. Regular soy sauce works but I always go low-sodium for this recipe.

Fresh ginger makes a noticeable difference over ground. I keep a knob of ginger in my freezer and grate it straight from frozen — it is easier to grate and the flavor is just as good.

Nutrition