Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken will transport your taste buds to the tropical islands! Chicken thighs are marinated with pineapple, soy sauce, and brown sugar then grilled to perfection.

One of the reasons I love traveling to the islands of Hawaii is to roam around and look for the local cuisine. I love a good shaved ice or pulled pork from a native luau, but I think the most inspiring things can be found in street food. I stumbled across a little cart selling chicken right off the grill, and when I got back home to the Lofthouse I had to come up with my own version of the recipe. My Grilled Huli Huli Chicken is an homage to one of my favorite food memories of Hawaii. Whenever I travel back to my favorite island I go in search of this chicken. This recipe comes in handy on those hot Southern Utah days when I am craving the cool tropical breezes.

GRILLED HULI HULI CHICKEN

This is a great recipe to make during the summer months when the grill is in prime condition. By now you probably have your routine of burgers and hot dogs rotating across the hot grate. It’s time for something a little more fun and festive for those warm months!

This recipe calls for chicken thighs instead of breasts. It’s a traditional cut of meat that brings a whole other layer of tenderness and flavor to the dish. The chicken thighs are mixed together with a marinade consisting of pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy, ketchup, garlic, and chicken broth for a fully complete and balanced flavor profile. After the thighs are marinated, they are cooked on the hot grill. Serve with rice, veggies, and freshly grilled pineapple for the fully aloha experience.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pineapple juice; this brings a bright note to each piece of chicken. The citrus also helps break down the meat while it’s marinating and will ensure that each bite is tender. Canned pineapple juice will work just fine, or if you have a juicer, juice a freshly sliced pineapple for that layer of freshness.

1 cup packed light brown sugar; this sweetness will balance everything out.

3/4 cup ketchup; this slight acidity of the ketchup will cut through the sweet and salty components of the dish. It is for balance and will not overwhelm the entire flavor of the dish.

3/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce; this is to help keep the sodium levels lower in the dish. If you want to use regular soy sauce, that will work just fine as well.

1/2 cup chicken broth; what’s the best way to enhance any chicken flavored dish? Use chicken broth, or a bullion will deepen the flavor so much. If you want to use vegetable stock as a substitute, that will work here.

3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger; if you’ve never worked with fresh ginger root, you’ll love what it will do to this dish. Just peel the skin off, and mince till it’s finely diced. If you would prefer to use ginger from a jar, that will also work. Avoid using ginger powder, or seasoning, as it won’t give the dish the best flavor.

3 teaspoons minced garlic; garlic makes everything better! I love to mince my own garlic, as the aroma brings everything to life. A pre-minced garlic that you can find in a small jar or tube can work, if you don’t want to mince your own.

24 boneless skinless chicken thighs; this is about 4 pounds of meat. This recipe is meant to be shared! Thighs are the way to get that full authentic experience of the chicken. If you have a picky eater in your family, you can substitute for chicken breasts, but I highly recommend using thighs.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, broth, ginger, and garlic until combined. Reserve 1 cup of marinade for basting. Cover and refrigerate. Divide remaining marinade between two large resealable plastic bags. Add 12 chicken thighs to each; seal bags and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Drain and discard marinade from chicken. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.; baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes.

PINEAPPLE

Grilled slices of pineapple for a couple of minutes on either side, so that they get those beautiful marks, and the flavor comes to life! A side of rice, either white or brown, is great on the side. If you are looking for a little pasta side, give my Asian Pasta Salad a try and you’ll love it with the flavorful dark meat of the chicken.

MARINATING TIME

For the most flavorful dish, make sure to marinate for no less than 6 hours. I marinate mine overnight so that the next day everything is ready to go! If you are in a pinch with time, the very least amount of time I would recommend marinating the chicken is 4 hours before grilling.

ENJOY THIS RECIPE? HERE ARE A FEW MORE GRILLED FAVORITES!

Grilled Steak Kebabs – Tender, marinated pieces of steak skewered with freshly diced veggies and grilled.

Grilled Apricot Chicken – The perfect way to sweeten things up this summer! Juicy pieces of chicken thighs grilled with apricot preserves and ready in 30 minutes!

Grilled Cheeseburger Wraps – Too many burgers this summer? There’s no such thing! Try this recipe to switch things up, and still enjoy a juicy burger with all the fixings.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken – Lean chicken breasts grilled with fresh lime juice and cilantro.

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