Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
Hawaiian-style chicken thighs marinated in a pineapple, soy and ginger glaze, then grilled and basted until caramelized — sweet, sticky and juicy.
🍳 Cook: 16 min
Ingredients
| 4 pounds | 1.8 kg | boneless skinless chicken thighs (breasts also work) |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | unsweetened pineapple juice |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | soy sauce |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | brown sugar |
| 1/3 cup | 80 ml | ketchup |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | chicken broth |
| 2 teaspoons | 10 ml | fresh ginger root, grated |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | 7.5 ml | minced garlic |
| — | green onions, sliced, for garnish |
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, ginger and garlic. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce for basting. Add the chicken thighs and remaining sauce to a ziplock bag and marinate at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Grill the chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Baste occasionally with the reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions if desired.
Tips
- Chicken: Cook the chicken to 165°F without drying it out. Thighs (dark meat) stay moister; if using breasts, pound them to an even thickness and pull them off at about 162°F — they'll keep cooking while resting.
- Rest your chicken: Let it rest covered with foil for about 10 minutes so the juices redistribute.
- Marinade: Always reserve marinade for basting; never reuse the raw-chicken marinade.
- No grill? Cook in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes or in a pan on the stovetop.
Serving ideas: Serve with grilled pineapple, rice and stir-fried vegetables. Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.