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If you’ve ever been to Hawaii (or are lucky enough to live there), then chances are you’ve tried huli huli chicken. Marinated chicken is grilled and glazed with a shiny sauce for a tender, flavor-packed main dish. Add caramelized grilled pineapple, and you have the perfect bite.
Entrepreneur Ernest Morgado is credited with inventing huli huli chicken in Honolulu in 1955. His recipe featured chicken brushed with a sticky-sweet teriyaki sauce that was then grilled over a hot fire, and it exploded in popularity throughout Hawaii.
“Huli” in Hawaiian means “turn,” which is a key part of the cooking process. To keep its sugary glaze from burning, huli huli chicken is turned often, giving it a burnished sheen with tons of flavor (without turning into a burnt mess).
This recipe captures all of the best sweet-and-salty aspects of huli huli chicken while also being super easy to throw on the grill on a weeknight.
Tips and Tricks for Making This Chicken
- You can marinate the chicken for up to 4 hours ahead of time in the marinade, but don’t go beyond that. There’s an enzyme in pineapple that breaks down protein which can give the chicken a weird, mushy texture.
- The sugar in the glaze wants to burn, so it’s best to add it when the chicken has almost finished cooking. That way it has time to set and pick up some char, but not too much. And make sure to flip it often!
- You can swap in other chicken pieces for the boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer. For boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grill until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155° to 160°F, then let it rest before serving. The temperature will rise to 165°F as it rests.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Christina Daley
While You’re at the Grill
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1 cup pineapple juice
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2/3 cup soy sauce
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1/2 cup ketchup
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1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
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1/3 cup dry sherry
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2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
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1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
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5 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
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2 1/2 pounds small boneless, skinless chicken thighs (8 to 9 small thighs)
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Canola oil, for grilling
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6 (1-inch-thick) fresh cored pineapple rings
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Thinly sliced scallions, optional
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Marinate the chicken:
In a medium bowl or 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, sherry, vinegar, ginger, and garlic.
Place the chicken in a large resealable zip-top bag. Pour 2 cups of the marinade over the chicken and seal to close. Reserve the remaining 1 cup marinade for glazing. Place the bag with the chicken on a large plate and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.
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Preheat the grill:
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat a grill to medium (350°F to 400°F). Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard the bag with the marinade.
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Grill the chicken:
Brush oil onto the grill grates. Place the chicken on the oiled grates and grill, covered, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until grill marks appear on the second side, about 3 more minutes.
Flip again and continue to cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thighs registers 135°F, about 4 minutes.
Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Christina Daley
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Glaze the chicken:
Once the chicken has reached 135°F, brush some of the reserved marinade over the thighs. Cook, flipping and brushing with marinade every 1 to 2 minutes, until glazed and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thighs registers 165° to 175°F, 3 to 4 more minutes.
Remove from the grill, transfer to a platter, and let rest for 10 minutes.
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Grill the pineapple:
While the chicken rests, lightly brush additional oil over the grill grates and increase the temperature to medium-high (400°F to 450°F).
Place the pineapple slices on the oiled grates and grill, uncovered, until grill marks appear on both sides and the pineapple starts to caramelize, about 4 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Transfer to the platter with chicken. Garnish with scallions, if desired, and serve.
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Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Christina Daley
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 132 | Calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 27g | Carbs |
| 5g | Protein |
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 132 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 1g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
| 11mg | 4% |
| 1846mg | 80% |
| 27g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 21g | |
| 5g | |
| Vitamin C 30mg | 149% |
| Calcium 36mg | 3% |
| Iron 1mg | 5% |
| Potassium 324mg | 7% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
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