Huli Huli chicken is a delicious Hawaiian BBQ recipe. You start by marinating the chicken in huli huli sauce and then slowly roast your chicken by turning it over your grill. 
In Hawaiian, huli huli means turn turn. The chicken is aptly named because you turn it on the grill! Or you can bake it in the oven if you don’t have a grill available or if the weather ins’t cooperating.
Hawaiian BBQ
Huli huli chicken is marinaded in a Hawaiian BBQ sauce. It is a wonderful combination of pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and a few other lovely flavors! I recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs for flavor and moisture, but you can use your favorite cut of chicken.
You start by making the marinade. Once finished, you set a cup aside for basting later and pour the rest over the chicken. You want the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours, but overnight is best.
Huli Huli Sauce
When you are ready to grill the chicken, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the reserved marinade, heat it up, and stir until thickened. This is your huli huli sauce that you will baste the chicken with while you are grilling.
Once the sauce has thickened, remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Put the chicken on the grill and turn, turn, turn. After each turn, use the huli huli sauce (thickened marinade) to baste the chicken.
Once the chicken is cooked through and a nice glaze has formed on the chicken, it is ready to serve. I garnished it with some sliced green onion which looks pretty and adds some nice color.
We had neighbors over for dinner who have four small children so I was hoping this huli huli chicken was a good choice. I served it with some white sticky rice and it was a hit with everyone at the table.
Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
Huli Huli Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
- 12 oz. pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- green onion chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients but chicken, cornstarch and green onion.
- Set aside 1 cup of marinade.
- Pour remaining marinade over chicken in a bowl or zippered plastic bag and refrigerate for 3 hours to overnight.
- In a sauce pan combine 1 cup of reserved marinade and cornstarch, stir and heat until thickened.
- Discard marinade from chicken.
- Place chicken on grill over medium heat. Cook on each side, turning several times and brushing chicken with thickened marinade after each turn. Grill until cooked through and glaze has thickened.
- Garnish with green onions
- If doing in the oven bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Baste and turn as youl would on the grill.
Video
Nutrition
Looking for a fun activity to do with the kids this summer – check out my Bread in a Bag and Ice Cream in a Bag. (videos included)
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This was so delicious! I’m so excited to have an easy and delicious homemade Huli Huli sauce now! Yum!
It’s definitely a favorite at our house too – so glad you loved it.
Great recipe, we grilled. Had an Hawaiian for dinner and he loved it.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this recipe a few times and it is a massive hit with anyone. I was wondering if you could freeze it?
Thanks x
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! The chicken was so flavorful. I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for the recipe!
What would go with this as sides?
It goes great with rice and a cole slaw or a potato salad.
My son is allergic to pineapples. I think I’ll try it with orange juice.
That sounds like a great plan.
This sounds so good! Can,t wait to try your receipt!
First off it is never too rainy or cold to grill LOL. I have never put pineapple juice in my Huli but I will now. While this is good in the oven, nothing beats fire roasted on the grill. Keep a small pot of sauce nearby and mop the chicken as it cooks. It forms a candy like coating after a few layers that my kids cannot resist. Also, tried it with white meat once and it was not as good. But it is good on pork.
Chris, Totally agree with you that it is better on the grill, isn’t everything!? Enjoy!
IF I DO IT IN THE OVEN, AT WHAT TEMPERATURE AND HOW LONG? DO I TURN AND TURN JUST LIKE ON THE GRILL?
If doing in the oven bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Baste and turn as youl would on the grill.
Having lived in Hawsii twice, I love Huli Huli chicken. Looking forward to trying your recipe.
Norma, Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. You mentioned that it can be cooked in the oven. What will be the temperature & time? Thank you.
I would cook it at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.