This huli huli chicken is the most flavorful grilled chicken thighs recipe in existence. It has a sweet and savory glaze that creates a combination of flavors like no other. It's a perfect meal for cookouts or a big family dinner that everyone will love!
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THE BEST HULI HULI CHICKEN
There are a ton of different ways to prepare chicken, but this sticky, smokey, and sweet huli huli chicken recipe definitely takes the crown.
And if you've never heard of this recipe before, it's a classic Hawaiian chicken dish that sizzles with flavor. And all of that flavor comes from the sauce, which really makes this recipe stand out from the rest.
Speaking of sauce, the homemade huli huli sauce that goes with this recipe is so quick and easy to make - not to mention, it adds so much to the flavor to the dish. Plus, it's made with all common ingredients, so you probably don't even need to go to the store to make it!
Oh, and the best part is this hui hui chicken recipe makes plenty for the entire family! So, if you're looking for an easy chicken dinner recipe to make that'll feed the whole fam, look no further.
By the way, the chicken will have to marinate for a few hours to achieve the maximum flavor. But, during that time, you can prepare some sides to go with it - like these fried pickles, these biscuits, or these french fries.
INGREDIENTS
So as far as ingredients go, the list is quite small. for this recipe.
Here's everything you'll need to make this huli huli chicken:
- 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root grated
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- sesame seeds
- green onions, sliced
Now, using chicken thighs in this recipe really elevates the flavor - and it's also the classic way to make huli huli chicken. But, if you want, you can use chicken breast instead, and the dish will still come out just as delicious since the chicken marinade is so darn good.
By the way, if you want to try another easy chicken recipe that you can use chicken thighs or breasts in, give this chicken tocino a try next. You can use almost every single one of these ingredients to make it!
Or, for another Hawaiian chicken recipe, you can use some ingredients to make this shoyu chicken!
HOW TO MAKE HULI HULI CHICKEN
So, the process of making this hui hui chicken recipe is actually quite simple.
The hardest part is cooking the grilled chicken thighs. And, honestly, even if you've never grilled anything before, I'm confident if you follow the steps below it will turn out perfect for you.
Now, get out the ingredients, and let's cook chicken!
STEP 1: MARINADING THE CHICKEN
We'll start by making the huli huli marinade. First, add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger, and garlic to a medium-sized bowl and whisk them until they combine.
Then, put the chicken thighs in a ziploc bag, an airtight container, or a bowl with a lid, and pour almost all of the huli huli sauce marinade into it - you'll want to save around 1 cup of the marinade for later.
Next, put the bowl in the fridge and let the chicken marinate for at least 3 hours to absorb all of the delicious flavors.
Or, if you want to cook the chicken the next day, you can leave it in the fridge overnight.
STEP 2: GRILLING THE CHICKEN
Once the chicken marinates, turn the grill to medium heat and put a little sesame oil on the grill rack.
Then, once it's heated, add the chicken thighs. Grill chicken for about 6-8 minutes on one side, then flip and grill for another 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 165°F (it's safe to eat at 165°F).
By the way, when the chicken is almost cooked, brush on the rest of the marinade you saved from earlier.
After the grilled chicken thighs are done, serve them with sesame seeds and green onions on top and enjoy!
BAKING THE CHICKEN
If you don't have access to a grill or grill pan - or would rather bake the chicken - it'll turn out just as tasty.
First, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). And if you want, you can pan-sear the chicken on each side for a minute or two - this gives it the best flavor. Then, put the chicken thighs on a baking sheet - or dish - and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
Also, make sure to pour the reserved cup of marinade to pour over the chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
WHAT TO PAIR WITH HULI HULI CHICKEN
The great thing about this delicious grilled chicken recipe is that it goes amazing with a ton of side dishes.
And, while you can serve it with almost anything you can think of, here are a few ideas on recipes you can pair it with:
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Corn On The Cobb
- Instant Pot Honey Glazed Carrots
- Easy Biscuits
- Fried Rice
And the best part is you can make any of these recipes while you're waiting for the chicken to marinade!
HOW TO STORE HULI HULI CHICKEN
As I said earlier, this recipe will make about 6-8 servings. So it's great for a big family dinner or cookout with friends. And it also makes for excellent meal prep to enjoy throughout the week.
With that said, if you have any leftovers, you can store this huli huli chicken in an airtight container - or Ziploc bag - in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Then, whenever you want to eat it, you can eat it cold, or reheated. And if you want to reheat it, the best way is to put it in the oven at 400°F until it reaches your desired temp.
Wrapping It All Up
Well, that is how to make huli huli chicken thighs grilled to perfection in just 10 minutes!
This Hawaiian chicken is a flavor-filled recipe that will spice up your chicken dishes and give you something new to try.
Seriously, it's such a great recipe. Everyone you serve this to will love it, and want to know how you made chicken taste so good!
But don't take my word for it - try this recipe yourself, and you'll see what makes it so special.
As always, if you make this huli huli chicken recipe, let me know in the comments how it turned out!
Oh, and if you want some more tried and true recipes, give one of these a try next:
By the way, you can always find even more deliciousness on our Youtube channel.
PrintHuli Huli Chicken Recipe
This huli huli chicken is the most flavorful grilled chicken thighs recipe in existence. It has a sweet and savory glaze that creates a combination of flavors like no other. It's a perfect meal for cookouts or a big family dinner that everyone will love!
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients
4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root grated
2 teaspoons minced garlic
sesame seeds
green onions, sliced
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger and garlic.
- Place the chicken thighs in a container or Ziploc bag and add the marinade. Reserve 1 cup of the marinade to use at the end.
- Put it in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Heat a grill over medium and cover with a bit of sesame oil.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and grill them for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until golden brown (internal temp should preferably be 170°F). Once you have flipped them and they are mostly cooked, add the extra marinade on top.
- Serve with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 542
- Fat: 21
- Carbohydrates: 29
- Protein: 59
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Lainey
I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and it was delish!!
★★★★★
Wes
This really hit the spot. Honestly it’s one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever tried.
★★★★★
Madison
YUMMY!!
★★★★★