The Best Huli Huli Chicken Recipe (2024)

Transport you and your loved ones to Hawaii with Grilled or Baked Huli Huli Chicken! Its bursting with sweet and savory Hawaiian teriyaki deliciousness from a dynamite pineapple, soy, brown sugar marinade that doubles as your sweet and sticky glaze (no double work!) and a spice rub that elevates this chicken to a whole new level of jaw dropping delicious. With the marinade, spice rub and glaze, this might just be the best Huli Huli Chicken ever. But I’ll let you decide.

WATCH: How to make Huli Huli Chicken

This Huli Huli Chicken Recipe will have you drooling

Have you heard of Huli Huli Chicken? It has been on my To Make “Bucket List” for ages, and I am thrilled I finally get to cross it off that list, because that means I finally got to devour my version of the best Huli Huli Chicken!

Huli Huli Chicken gets its name from the Hawaiian word, “huli” which means to turn or reverse. This is appropriate because the Hawaiian favorite chicken, gets turned over on a grate, to rotate which part of the chicken is closest to the flame, similar to a rotisserie.

What is Huli Huli Chicken?

Huli Huli Chicken originated from Hawaii around 1955 when Ernest Morgado of Pacific Poultry barbecued his version of teriyaki chicken in a very unique way.

Rather than flipping scores of chicken pieces by piece when catering an event, Morgado, “sandwiched the meat between two mesh grates, and, with the help of an assistant, flipped the whole contraption. Sort of Hawaiian rotisserie. When it was time to turn, he would shout “huli” which is Hawaiian for “turn” to his assistant who would shout “huli” back, grab the handles on the other side of the grates, and turn the chicken over, lickety split. Huli-Huli Chicken was born.” (AmazingRibs.com)

Everyone went crazy for this Huli Huli Chicken and it became a favorite Hawaiian staple, served everywhere from roadside stands and parking lots, to restaurants and fundraisers.

Ingredients for Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

This Hawaiian huli huli chicken recipe has two main flavoring agents: the huli huli sauce and the spice rub that gets rubbed all over the chicken.

• Chicken thighs: I love the moistness of bone-in chicken thighs, and they are wonderfully economical, but feel free to use any cut of chicken you prefer and adjust cooking time accordingly. Just be aware that the leaner the meat, the less juicy.
• Spices: The homemade spice blend features a mixture of paprika, ginger, onion powder, cumin, and more!
• Pineapple juice: DO NOT USE fresh pineapple juice as it contains the enzyme bromelain which will leave your chicken mushy. In CANNED pineapple, however, the bromelain is extracted so the juice will infuse your chicken with flavor without becoming mushy.
• Ketchup: Try to buy organic ketchup or one that’s not sweetened with corn syrup.
• Soy sauce: Use reduced sodium soy sauce or your huli huli sauce will be too salty.
• Light brown sugar: Adds some sweetness and caramelizes beautifully when grilled.
• Worcestershire sauce: A couple tablespoons is all it takes to impart a great umami flavor.
• Apple cider vinegar: Provides the fruity, tangy balance to the soy sauce.
• Dijon mustard: I’m sure yellow mustard or a stone ground mustard would work here too.
• Sriracha sauce: Add more if you like things spicy.

HOW TO MAKE HULI HULI CHICKEN

1. Make Spice Mix:Mix the Spice Mix seasonings together in a medium bowl. Remove one tablespoon Spice Mix and add it to a large bowl.
2. Make Huli Huli Sauce:Add all the sauce ingredients to the 1 tablespoon spice mix and whisk together.
3. Marinate Chicken:Remove ½ cup of this sauce and add to a large freezer bag along with ⅓ cup olive oil. Add chicken, turn to coat and marinate 4 hours up to overnight.
4. Add Spice Rub:When ready to cook, dab off excess marinade. Mix reserved spices with 2 tablespoons olive oil and rub evenly over both sides of chicken. Let sit 15-20 minutes.
5. Cook:After the chicken has marinated, it can either be grilled for about 6-8 minutes per side or baked for approximately 45 minutes.
6. Baste:Finally baste the cooked chicken with the intensely flavored glaze to create juicy bite after bite of uniquely sweet and savory, pineapple Huli Huli Chicken. Because you deserve to transport yourself to Hawaii year round.

The Best Huli Huli Chicken Recipe Tips

• Where to marinate:Always marinate chicken for a prolonged period of time in the refrigerator, never on the counter. You can marinate on the counter for 30 minutes to help bring the chicken to room temperature and cook evenly, but no longer.
• Reusing marinade:Never reuse marinade used for raw chicken or meat unless you boil it first to destroy any harmful bacteria.
• Cook it safely: Be sure to use a food thermometer and cook proteinto a safe minimum internal temperature.

Huli Huli Chicken Recipe substitutions

• I use 1 teaspoon ground ginger because it is such a small amount, but you may substitute with 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger.
• You may substitute with rice wine vinegar or white vinegar if that’s all you have on hand. White vinegar has more acidic than apple cider vinegar, so only use 1 tablespoon.
• If gluten-free, use reduced sodium tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.

How to Prep Huli Huli Chicken in Advance

The huli huli chicken can be made the night before and allowed to marinate overnight.

What to pair with the Best Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

My favorite side to serve with Hawaiian huli huli chicken is steamed rice. The chicken is so flavorful that the rice offers a neutral, textural counterpart that sops up the delicious teriyaki sauce.

Here are some more delicious options to serve with your easy teriyaki chicken:

• Rice:White rice, brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, broccoli rice orPineapple Rice.
• Stir Fry Veggies.You can stir fry any veggies your heart desires from broccoli, to bell peppers, to mushrooms, to carrots, etc. or you can serve with roasted veggies such asRoasted Broccoli,Roasted Broccolini,Roasted Cauliflower,Roasted Carrots,Sauteed Brussels Spouts,orRoasted Squash.
• Salad.Crunchy Asian Salad,Chinese Salad,Asian Pineapple Salad.
• Fruit:Grilled Pineapple,Summer Fruit Salad,Perfect Fruit Salad,Creamy Grape Salad,Pina Colada Fruit Salad

How to store Huli Chicken

This Hawaiian huli huli chicken can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezing Huli Huli

You can freeze either the huli huli sauce or the cooked huli huli chicken.

• Marinade:Whisk together, add to a freezer bag, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Chicken:After you have cooked the chicken, let it cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.

How to reheat Huli Chicken

• From frozen:Thaw huli huli Chicken in the refrigerator overnight. You can also defrost in the microwave but take care to defrost slowly so your chicken doesn’t get rubbery.
• From fridge:You can warm chicken in a skillet on the stove top or in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Take care not to overcook or it will become dry.You can also reheat in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or just until warmed through.

Looking for More Grilled Chicken Recipes?

• Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
• Teriyaki Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Kebabs
• Greek Chicken
• Chicken Gyros
• Peanut Pineapple Thai Chicken Satay
• Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
• Honey Sriracha Orange Chicken
• All of my grilling recipes!

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