Huli Huli Chicken Recipe + Video

Top down view of sticky chicken pieces topped with chopped scallions and grilled slices of pineapple.

This Huli Huli chicken recipe is easy to prep ahead with a delicious and simple pineapple, soy, and ginger marinade. Grill the Hawaiian chicken for just 10 minutes and serve as a yummy BBQ dinner any night of the week!

Prep Time12

Cook Time10

Total Time12 10

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Hawaiian

Servings: - 12 servings

Calories: 446kcal

Author: Sommer Collier

Ingredients

3 – 3 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
6 ounce can pineapple juice about ¾ cup
½ cup ketchup
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup cooking sherry or mirin
3 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce use less if sensitive to heat
2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil or olive oil
Garnishes: grilled fresh or canned pineapple slices chopped scallions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the oil, grated ginger, and garlic to the skillet. Stir and sauté the ginger and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure not to burn it. (This is an important step to make sure the ginger enzymes don't make the chicken mushy as it marinates.)
Place the sautéed ginger and garlic in a large measuring pitcher. Add the pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, cooking sherry, Sriracha, and brown sugar. Stir well. Measure out 1 cup of marinade. Then cover it and refrigerate for later use.
Pour the remaining marinade in a large zip bag. Add the chicken thighs to the bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Then zip the bag tightly and shake the chicken around to cover it in marinade. Place the marinade bag in a baking dish, just in case, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, but up to 36 hours.
When ready to grill, pull the chicken out of the refrigerator and drain off the marinade. (It's ok to leave some marinade on the chicken; you do not need to pat the chicken dry.) Preheat the grill to medium heat, about 350 to 400°F. Once hot, place the chicken pieces on the grill, top side down.
Grill for 5 minutes. Then flip the chicken over, and brush extra marinade over the top of each piece. Continue to grill the chicken for another 4-5 minutes until fully cooked. If serving with pineapple slices, fresh or canned, place the pineapple slices on the grill after you flip the chicken over. Grill the pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes per side. Pull the chicken and the pineapple slices off the grill and arrange on a serving platter. Brush additional marinade over the top of the chicken if desired. Sprinkle with scallions and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Cool the Hawaiian BBQ chicken thighs before transferring to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition