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–+ servings
Front view of a platter of Huli Huli Chicken with pineapple slices and rice in the background.
4.99 from 76 votes
Created by: Stefanie

Huli Huli Chicken Recipe


Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
6
Huli Huli Chicken is also known as Hawaiian bbq chicken that is full of seriously amazing flavor and is slathered in a teriyaki-like sauce. It's the perfect combination of sweet and tangy.
6

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup light soy sauce
  • ½ cup pineapple juice canned
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste or minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste or minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika smoked or sweet
  • Pineapple rings - 1 pineapple or 1 can of slices drained
  • ½ cup sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

  • Rinse chicken leg quarters and pat dry.
  • In a large bowl or gallon size ziploc bag, combine all ingredients except for the chicken. Mix well.
  • Remove ½ cup of the sauce mixture and set aside for serving the chicken.
  • To the remaining sauce, add the chicken thighs, mixing well so that all of the chicken is submerged in the marinade.
  • Cover or seal and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
  • Heat grill to medium high heat (400°F).
  • Lightly brush the grates with oil.
  • Place the chicken on the heated grill. Cook about about 10 minutes without turning or moving. Flip and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (about 10 minutes more). Discard the marinade that the chicken was in.
  • When the chicken is about halfway done cooking, add the pineapple rings to the grill and cook until golden on each side.
  • Remove everything from the grill.
  • Brush the reserved marinade over the chicken. You can place the chicken under the broiler for just a few minutes to thicken the sauce or you can heat the reserved sauce in a small saucepan on the stovetop to thicken it slightly and then brush that over the chicken.

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Notes

Storage:
Store leftover huli chicken, covered, in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. 
Freeze for 1 month, unless you used chicken that was previously frozen. In that case, it's not safe to refreeze.
Notes:
Adjust the seasonings as needed before brushing it over the finished chicken. We like to add a little more sugar for a sweeter BBQ flavor. 
This chicken has tons of flavor. It's sweet, smokey, tangy all wrapped into one.
Clean under the grates before grilling. Also, allow the excess marinade to drip off in the dish. If too much gets in the grill, it will cause it to flame up and possibly burn the chicken. 
You can use any cut of chicken for this recipe, just increase the cooking time for larger pieces or those with the bone-in. 

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 1621mg | Potassium: 1311mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 293IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg

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