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About This Recipe
If you love bold, tropical flavors and tender, juicy chicken, you have to try this Huli Huli Chicken! Based on the traditional Hawaiian chicken dish, this recipe gets its name from the Hawaiian word huli, meaning “turn,” since the chicken is traditionally continuously turned and basted while being grilled. But despite how you grill the chicken, the marinade is the star of the show! The distinctive flavor profile combines sweet pineapple juice, tangy ketchup, acidic soy sauce and smoky paprika! It’s the best combination of flavors and will transport you right to the tropical beaches of Hawaii!
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s made with chicken thighs! I know, I know, chicken breasts are leaner and higher protein but I promise you the few extra grams of fat are SO worth it for this recipe! The chicken thighs are perfect for soaking up all the tangy, sweet flavor and just stay so moist on the grill. Plus, they’re so much more forgiving than chicken breasts so you really can’t screw them up!
Enjoy this grilled chicken for your next backyard BBQ or whip up a batch for your weekly meal prep! Serve this chicken in my pineapple rice bowls, alongside macaroni salad or with your favorite veggies like air fryer broccoli or charred green beans!
Why You’ll Love This Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
- Such amazing flavor: This Huli Huli chicken is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, smoky, and tangy flavors!
- Easy to make: Made with simple ingredients and minimal prep, this tropical recipe is super simple and easy to whip up!
- Perfect summer grilling recipe: Who doesn’t love a backyard summer BBQ? This delicious marinade brings a taste of the tropics and is perfect for warm-weathered days!
- Meal prep: A great recipe for meal prep! Easily make a big batch and enjoy leftovers throughout the week!
- Versatile protein: Enjoy this chicken with my pineapple rice bowls, macaroni salad, or veggies for a complete and satisfying meal.
- Chicken thighs: Tender, juicy boneless chicken thighs are perfect for soaking up all the bold flavors of the marinade while staying moist and flavorful on the grill!
- Pineapple juice: The pineapple juices adds sweet, tropical flavor to this chicken marinade. Make sure to use canned pineapple juice, not fresh for the marinade!
- Ketchup: The ketchup serves as the base of our marinade and provides a tangy flavor to constrast to the sweet pineapple juice. I used sugar-free ketchup, but regular works just as well.
- Brown sugar: Helps create a delicious carmalized glaze on the chicken as it grills. I used light brown sugar but dark also works.
- Soy sauce and rice vinegar: The soy sauce and rice vinegar work together to add saltiness and acidity to help balance out the sweetness of the marinade. You can use Worcestershire sauce in place of the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar in place of the rice vinegar if needed.
- Ginger and garlic: You can use fresh ginger and garlic or frozen cubes. Both work great!
- Smoked paprika: I really like the balance the subtle smoky flavor that the smoked paprika brings to compliment the sweetness of the marinade but you can always use regular paprika if you don’t have smoked on hand.
- Chicken breasts: If you a lower fat, higher protein option you can substitute the chicken thighs for boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins. If using chicken breasts, I recommend pounding them or butterfly them to make sure they’re an even thickness. Just note that both chicken breasts and chicken tenderloins are leaner so they won’t need as much cook time.
- Gluten-free: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce to keep this marinade gluten-free.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Add all the marinade ingredients to a bowl or pourable pyrex glass and whisk until combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade for later and store in the fridge.
2. Add the rest of to a resealable large ziplock bag, along with the chicken thighs. Move chicken around to make sure it’s all coated. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours (preferably 12-24 hours).
3. Grease your grill grates or grill pan (or a regular skillet). Set to medium-high heat. Add the chicken (discard used marinade) and grill for 2-3 minutes, until golden. Adjust the heat if it’s browning too quickly–then flip, and grill the other side for 2-3 minutes.
4. Baste the chicken with some of the reserved marinade, flip again, and cook for 1 minute. Repeat this every minute or so until chicken is cooked through (165F internal temperature), about 10-12 minutes total. Transfer to a serving plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Helpful Tips
- Marinate for maximum flavor: Let the chicken sit in the huli huli chicken marinade for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better if you want to prep in advance. This allows the flavors to fully soak in and tenderize the meat.
- Basting: Before adding the chicken to the marinade make sure to reserve 1/2 a cup of the huli huli sauce for basting while grilling. Basting the chicken with the reserved sauce helps to build up that caramelized glaze while it grills.
- Turn Frequently: Did you know that Huli Huli means “turn-turn”? Traditional huli huli chicken is turned multiple times while grilling to develop an even, caramelized crust. That’s why we continue to flip the chicken every minute or so while cooking and basting with the rest of the marinade.
- Meat thermometer: I highly recommend using a instant-read thermometer to know when the chicken is done! Chicken thighs can take a bit longer to cook than breasts so to avoid overcooking or undercooking, I recommend checking that internal temperature reaches 165°F before removing from the grill.
- Let rest: For the best results, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after grilling. This keeps it juicy by allowing the juices to redistribute.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes you can use breasts but since chicken thighs are dark meat they are more flavorful and stay juicier. If using breasts, pound them to an even thickness and reduce the cooking time to prevent drying out.
Can I use fresh pineapple juice for the huli huli marinade?
I do not recommend using fresh pineapple juice for this marinade. Fresh pineapple juice has enzymes that can break down the protein of the raw chicken pieces making it weird and mushy if it marinates for too long.
Can I make Huli Huli chicken without a grill?
Yes you can bake the chicken in the oven at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or air fry it at 375°F for 15-18 minutes.
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Huli Huli Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
Huli Huli Marinade:
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice (120g) canned, not fresh*
- 1/4 cup ketchup (60g) I used no sugar added
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (48g)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (60g)
- 1 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar (15g)
- 1 Tbsp fresh minced ginger or 3 frozen cubes
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or 3 frozen cubes)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
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Instructions
- Add all the marinade ingredients to a bowl or pourable pyrex glass and whisk until combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade for later and store in the fridge. Add the rest of to a resealable bag, along with the chicken thighs. Move chicken around to make sure it’s all coated. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours (preferably 12-24 hours).
- Grease your grill grates or grill pan (or a regular skillet). Set to medium-high heat. Add the chicken (discard remaining marinade) and grill for 2-3 minutes, until golden. Adjust the heat if it’s browning too quickly–then flip, and grill the other side for 2-3 minutes.
- Baste the chicken with some of the reserved marinade, flip again, and cook for 1 minute.
- Repeat this every minute or so until chicken is cooked through (165F internal temp), about 10-12 minutes total. Transfer to a serving plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
