I cannot wait for summer when the grill gets pulled out (even though you can make this indoors) and have a relaxing Saturday BBQ with the family. This healthy grilled Huli Huli chicken recipe is always the first thing we make and for all the holidays!
The Hawaiian chicken makes a lasting impression. I can even remember the first time I’ve tried it and haven’t gone a summer without it since. Even our kids love this recipe.
We also love to pair the grilled chicken with our grilled caramelized brown sugar pineapple recipe. Other great side dishes for a BBQ and potluck are our creamy pasta salad recipe, slow cooker creamed corn, and our cheesy garlic green beans recipe. You can find many more here as well!
For this Hawaiian grilled chicken recipe, you can find everything you need in the lists below!
Best chicken marinade ingredients:
- Pineapple juice
- Brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce
- Ground ginger
- Minced garlic
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Did you know that you can make your own homemade ketchup? Sometimes I forget that you can make even those daily things, like ketchup! If you want to try and make your own, take a look at this seriously good homemade ketchup recipe from Inspired Taste.
Here are a few other things you will need for this healthy Huli Huli chicken recipe:
- Small mixing bowl
- Ziplock bag
- Grill or grill pan (if you don’t have a grill check out THIS pan)
- Grilling tongs (THESE are nice ones)
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Get ready, it’s time to make this delicious Hawaiian grilled Huli Huli chicken!
To begin making this make sure you have ample time to put it together as you will need to do the first two steps at least 8 hours before you need to cook the chicken on the grill giving it plenty of time to absorb all of the fantastic flavors of the marinade.
To make the marinade, take a small bowl and add in the pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ground ginger, and minced garlic. Mix it all together until everything is well combined.
Then, take a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade in it.
Next, add in the chicken and close the bag trying to get rid of most of the air from the bag. Move the chicken around in the bag to get everything covered in the marinade.
Now place the bag of chicken in the fridge and let it marinate for at least 8 hours or even overnight.
Once the time has passed, remove the chicken from the bag and discard the rest of the marinade.
Then using a preheated grill, grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature of the chicken is over 165 degrees at the thickest part of the chicken.
Once the chicken is done, remove it from the grill and serve it immediately!
PRO TIP: If you aren’t up for grilling but don’t want to miss out on this awesome recipe, you can also bake this in the oven at 400 until fully cooked through, and the juices run clear. It will be around 25-30 minutes.
You need this Grilled Huli Huli recipe in your life this summer!
Hey! Did you know that we have a YouTube channel where we share a lot of our tried and true recipes that even picky eaters love? Oh, and did I mention we show you how to make each recipe from start to finish?!
We have a lot of great grilled chicken recipes and a fan favorite is our Grilled Lemon chicken! It has wonderful citrus flavors paired with the smokey flavors throughout the chicken from the grill. It is simply amazing.
Other grilled chicken recipes to try this summer!
- MAPLE MOUNTAIN DEW GRILLED CHICKEN
- HONEY LIME GRILLED CHICKEN MARINADE
- ROSEMARY RANCH GRILLED CHICKEN RECIPE
- MARINATED ROOT BEER GRILLED CHICKEN RECIPE
- PINEAPPLE TERIYAKI GRILLED CHICKEN
- CITRUS MARINATED CHICKEN
Grilled Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Equipment
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
- Pour marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add chicken.
- Seal bag and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
- Remove bag from fridge, drain and discard marinade from chicken.
- Grill chicken over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
Notes
- If you aren’t up for grilling but don’t want to miss out on this awesome recipe, you can also bake this in the oven at 400 until fully cooked through, and the juices run clear. It will be around 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.What are some reviews and experiences from people who have made Huli Huli Chicken?
- One reviewer gave the recipe a rating of 4.6 out of 5 and mentioned that they made the full amount of sauce, using Mirin instead of sherry. They used a portion of the marinade for the chicken and heated the rest on the stovetop to reduce it. The reviewer cooked the chicken on the grill and served it with coleslaw, rice, and steamed broccoli. They particularly enjoyed the extra sauce drizzled over the rice and broccoli. The reviewer’s spouse loved the dish and suggested adding more garlic next time.
- Another reviewer rated the recipe with 3 stars due to concerns about using marinade that had raw chicken in it to baste the chicken again. However, they found the recipe easy to make and the marinade delicious.
- A reviewer followed the instructions precisely and used a combination of bone-in thighs and drumsticks. The result was a delicious dish that they considered a keeper.
- Another reviewer marinated the chicken for 8 hours and used a combination of chicken thighs and breasts. They transferred the chicken to a thick tinfoil pan and cooked it on the Traeger. However, despite using a slotted spoon, the sauce still pooled in the pan. They improvised by simmering the leftover marinade and transferring the chicken to a sheet pan before broiling it. The dish was a hit with guests.
- One reviewer substituted defrosted frozen pineapple chunks for pineapple juice and blended all the marinade ingredients to make a thick sauce. They grilled the chicken on non-stick foil and boiled the reserved marinade to serve as a sauce. They served it with Savory Coconut Rice and considered it a great foundation for a Hawaiian-themed dinner party.
- Another reviewer made Huli Huli Chicken shishkebabs and their family loved it. They also tried baking the chicken and serving it on fried cabbage, which was also a big hit.
- A reviewer described the dish as delicious and suggested using skin-on, bone-on chicken for a crunchy outer texture. They also recommended reserving some of the marinade to glaze in a skillet and pour over the chicken. They served it with wild rice flavored with Teriyaki, scallion, and pineapple.
- One reviewer mistakenly used a full can of frozen concentrated pineapple, leaving out the brown sugar. They found the result to be really good and boiled it down to thicken the sauce.
- Another reviewer considered the recipe perfect as is. They made it with chicken stew pieces and grilled it on the stove. They added dry mustard to the sauce despite it not being included in the instructions. They also used the leftover marinade to make a sauce by adding cornstarch.
- Another reviewer found the recipe delicious and made it exactly as instructed. They used chicken stew pieces and grilled it on their stove. They also added dry mustard to the sauce and used the leftover marinade to make a sauce with the addition of cornstarch.
What is the history of Huli Huli Chicken?
The history of Huli Huli Chicken dates back to 1955 when Ernest Morgado, an innovator in Hawaiian cuisine, created this delectable dish. The origins of Huli Huli Chicken trace back to a gathering of farmers, where Morgado decided to experiment with teriyaki chicken. Using his culinary expertise, he developed a unique method of cooking that involved turning the chicken repeatedly, hence the name “Huli Huli,” which translates to “turn, turn” in Hawaiian.
Morgado’s flavorful creation quickly gained popularity and became a beloved Hawaiian staple. Since its inception, Huli Huli Chicken has been a delicacy enjoyed alongside sticky rice, further enhancing its mouth-watering appeal. Over the years, this dish has become an integral part of Hawaiian cuisine, symbolizing the blending of diverse flavors and cultural influences found throughout the islands.
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