This marinated huli huli chicken is one of my favorite grilling recipes for summer! I start with a sweet and tangy marinade to get that authentic Hawaiian BBQ chicken flavor. And it pulls double duty as a basting sauce that I brush onto the chicken thighs as they cook on the grill. This flip-and-baste method leads to the juiciest, most tender huli huli chicken I’ve ever tasted!
Top Reader Reviews
This was delicious! Followed the recipe exactly.
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We made this the first time with bone in, skin on chicken thighs. Took longer to grill, of course…But…Holy cow it was incredible! The skin crisped up well and held so much flavor in it. We have made it again with chicken breasts and boneless skinless chicken thighs, and it’s nearly just as good! Served with grilled pineapple (a must), macaroni salad, Hawaiian style white rice, and a little teriyaki bbq sauce for a full Hawaiian plate dinner. This has become one of our favorite meals. Thanks!
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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
Huli-huli chicken is a popular Hawaiian dish, featuring an amazing BBQ style sauce made with brown sugar, ketchup, soy, ginger, and a couple other simple ingredients. The name refers to a specific rotisserie-style cooking method that makes this chicken irresistibly juicy and tender! The trick to this recipe is continuously flipping and basting the chicken while grilling, so it cooks perfectly and the huli huli sauce caramelizes in the process.
This method turns grilled chicken thighs into an easy tropical dinner that tastes like a backyard luau. I love serving this grilled Huli Huli chicken with classic BBQ sides, or tucked into a Hawaiian chicken sandwich.
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Huli Huli Sauce and Marinade
The real star of my huli huli chicken recipe is the marinade, which pulls double-duty as a basting and serving sauce. Brown sugar adds a rich sweetness, and helps caramelize the meat. Ketchup, soy sauce, and rice vinegar create a balanced, tangy-sweet flavor. While fresh ginger and garlic bring a bold kick. Marinating for 2 hours will add plenty of flavor, but a full 8 hours in the fridge allows the flavors to really penetrate the chicken before grilling.
Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (*)
- chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for serving)
- chopped green onions (optional, for serving)
- pineapple slices (optional, for serving**)
For the Marinade/Sauce:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 1 small knob fresh ginger (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
Marinate:
- Whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic together in a resealable plastic bag or large dish.½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup ketchup, ½ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup rice vinegar, 1 small knob fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic
- Reserve ½ cup of the marinade to use as a basting sauce.
- Place the chicken in the marinade. Make sure it is fully submerged/coated.4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
Grill:
- Oil the racks of the grill to prevent sticking. Heat the grill to medium (350-375℉).
- Place the chicken on the grill, cooking for 20-25 minutes total.
- Every 5 minutes, flip the chicken and baste with the reserved marinade.
- The chicken is finished once the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh or breast reaches 165°F.
- Finish with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and green onions. Serve with grilled pineapple if desired.chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, pineapple slices
Notes
- Marinate chicken overnight for ultra-tender, juicy meat. While 2 hours will add plenty of flavor, a full overnight soak in the huli huli marinade allows the sweet and tangy flavors to really penetrate the chicken before grilling.
- Be sure to reserve a portion of the marinade before adding raw chicken to avoid cross-contamination. This portion will be used as a sauce for basting later.
- Rub a little oil onto the (clean and preheated) grates right before cooking so the chicken doesn’t stick.
- To make this a gluten-free chicken recipe, use GF soy sauce.
- For tender meat, cook chicken thighs to an internal temp of 175℉.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Grill Temp and Time
For this recipe, I recommend setting your grill to a medium heat, between 350-375°F. Since this “huli huli” method involves flipping and basting the chicken multiple times, this slightly lower heat helps keep the chicken juicy.
At this temperature, boneless thighs will take about 20-25 minutes total, flipping every 5 minutes. Bone-in thighs will take slightly longer to cook through (up to 30 minutes). If you make this recipe with boneless chicken breasts, it should take around 15-20 minutes.
It’s always best to keep an eye on the chicken while it cooks, and check the internal temperature to decide when it’s done. I recommend taking chicken thighs off the grill right at 165°F, tenting them in foil for 5-10 minutes, and letting the temperature come up closer to 170-175°F. This is when the meat really gets tender!
How to Make Huli Huli Chicken on the Grill Step by Step
Make the Huli Huli Marinade/Sauce: Whisk together ½ cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of ketchup, ½ cup of soy sauce, ⅓ cup of rice vinegar, 1 grated small knob of fresh ginger, and 3 minced cloves of garlic together in a large bowl. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade to use as a basting sauce while cooking.
Marinate the Chicken: Place 4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, legs, or drumsticks) in the marinade. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Grill the Chicken: Oil the racks of a grill or grill pan, then heat it to medium (350-375°F). Place the marinated chicken on the grill, and cook for 20-25 minutes. Flip and baste the chicken with the huli huli sauce every 5 minutes until cooked through. Continuous rotating is key to get the tender, flavorful, charred results we want.
Serve: Serve Hawaiian BBQ chicken garnished with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and green onions. I love serving this with grilled pineapple, zucchini, and rice for a healthy summer meal!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store Huli Huli chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave in 30-second increments, or in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
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