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    Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

    by Brendan Cunningham 3 Comments

    Jump to 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!

    A bunch of huli huli chicken thighs in part of a white bowl that is on a white table cloth.

    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. 

    Table of Contents
    • THE BEST HULI HULI CHICKEN
      • INGREDIENTS
      • HOW TO MAKE HULI HULI CHICKEN
        • STEP 1: MARINADING THE CHICKEN
        • STEP 2: GRILLING THE CHICKEN
      • BAKING THE CHICKEN
      • WHAT TO PAIR WITH HULI HULI CHICKEN
      • HOW TO STORE HULI HULI CHICKEN
      • Wrapping It All Up

     

    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.

    A couple of huli huli chicken thighs in a white bowl that is on top of a white table cloth on a wood cutting board on a white counter.

    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!

    A hand holding a spoon in a small white bowl of huli huli marinade. Behind it is a white baking dish filled with chicken thighs and a small white bowl of green onions.

    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! 

    A bunch of chicken thighs and huli huli marinade in a white baking dish on top of a white counter.

    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.

    A few pieces of chicken thighs grilling on a counter top grill.

    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!

    A hand sprinkling green onions on top of huli huli chicken that is in a white bowl on a white tablecloth.

    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.

    Huli huli chicken thighs in a white bowl that is on top of a white table cloth.

    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! 

    A few huli huli chicken thighs in part of a white bowl on top of a white tablecloth.

    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.

    Huli huli chicken thighs in a white bowl.

    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:

    • Chicken Tempura
    • Empress Chicken
    • Chicken Bryan
    • Chicken Meatloaf
    • Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas

    By the way, you can always find even more deliciousness on our Youtube channel.

    Print

    Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

    Green onions on top of huli huli chicken thighs in a white bowl on a white tablecloth.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 3 reviews

    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!

    • Author: Joe Duff
    • 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

    Scale

    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

    1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger and garlic. 
    2. 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. 
    3. Put it in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
    4. Heat a grill over medium and cover with a bit of sesame oil.
    5. 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.
    6. Serve with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 542
    • Fat: 21
    • Carbohydrates: 29
    • Protein: 59

    Keywords: huli huli chicken, huli huli chicken recipe, hui hui chicken, huli huli chicken recipe with pineapple juice, huli huli chicken recipe authentic, hui hui chicken marinade, hui hui chicken sauce, how to make hui hui chicken, hawaiian chicken recipe, hui hui chicken recipe, huli huli chicken sauce, grilled chicken thighs, chicken thighs grilled, hawaiian chicken,

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lainey

      January 03, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and it was delish!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Wes

      January 07, 2022 at 5:11 am

      This really hit the spot. Honestly it’s one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever tried.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Madison

      January 10, 2022 at 8:59 pm

      YUMMY!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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