Have you ever tried Huli Huli Chicken? It’s an incredibly delicious Hawaiian-style grilled chicken with sweet, savory, and smoky flavors.
The unique marinade is what makes this dish stand out! The chicken soaks the marinade for hours and is then grilled until beautifully caramelized. Pair with grilled sweet pineapple for the best flavor combination!
Quick Look: Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 mins, Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Marinating: 4-6 hours or overnight
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes, depending on marinating time
- Method: Grilling (other methods included below)
- Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, fresh pineapples
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, smoky with a slightly charred glaze
- Ideal for: Grilling
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A Little Background
The word “huli” means “turn” in Hawaiian, which is in reference to the cooking method: the chicken is turned several times on the grill as it’s being basted. While the original recipe is made rotisserie-style (turning), I’ve adapted this recipe for cooking on an outdoor grill at home or even indoors!
A little bit of background history to honor its creator, Ernest Morgado’s family created this recipe in the 1950s. It was served in fundraisers and events, and eventually word got out and became very popular in the region.
His exact original recipe is unknown, but recipe for huli huli chicken usually calls for ingredients like pineapple juice, soy sauce, and ketchup. It’s really really good, give it a try!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs: Preferably boneless for faster cooking, but bone-in are great as well. If using bone-in, they will need to cook longer. Use a thermometer.
- CANNED pineapple juice: Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that can turn chicken into “mush.” This is not the case with canned.
- Soy sauce: For savory umami flavors. It also tenderizes chicken by acting as a brine and gives it that nice, dark color.
- Brown sugar and ketchup: For sweet flavors that balance out the savory soy sauce. The sugars will also help with caramelization. Either light or dark brown sugar works.
- Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar: Acidity to balance everything out.
- Garlic and ginger: I’d highly recommend fresh here!
- Seasoning: Smoked paprika (make sure it’s “smoked” and not just regular paprika), ground black pepper.
- Fresh pineapple rings to grill and serve on the side. If you can’t find a ripe pineapple, canned will work too.
- Vegetable oil for grilling
Substitutions and Variations
- Other cuts of chicken: Drumsticks are wonderful too! Try also chicken breasts or even whole chicken, preferably cut in half or spatchcocked.
- Use the same marinade to make grilled chicken wings. It’s one of our faves!
- Gluten-free option: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Variations: To switch it up, try making huli huli chicken skewers with cubed pineapple chunks and bell peppers in between.
- If you have leftover pineapple, try my Pineapple Teriyaki Burger recipe.
How To Make Huli Huli Chicken
Step 1: Huli huli marinade. In a large resealable bag, mix all the marinade ingredients (see recipe card below). Reserve about ½ cup of the marinade, which will be used for basting later. Add the chicken into the marinade and coat evenly. Marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours or preferably overnight.
Step 2: Grill chicken. Get your grill pre-heated. You can also grill indoors using a grill pan over medium heat. Grill chicken for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes.
Step 3: Baste and turn. Baste the chicken with the reserved marinade (don’t use the marinade that touched raw chicken). Then flip again and baste again for another 1-2 minutes on each side. Repeat until fully cooked through in the center, about 15 minutes total. Tip: Although chicken is ready at 165ºF, for thighs 185ºF is preferred for texture.
Step 4: Grill pineapple. Pat dry the pineapple slices and grill on both sides. Quick tip: Grill undisturbed per side so they develop nice grill marks. This will also prevent sticking.
Step 5: Serve! Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve along with grilled pineapple rings and garnish with sliced scallions.
Tips for Success
- Traditionally, huli huli chicken is cooked with kiawe wood. To get a similar smoky flavor at home, use mesquite wood chips if your grill is designed for that.
- Canned pineapple juice choice: I really like Dole’s brand. I buy the small individual cans, which is helpful here since we don’t need a lot.
- Reserving marinade for brushing: Set some aside BEFORE adding the raw chicken.
- …and if you forgot to reserve marinade, simply bring it to a simmer for a few minutes to make it safe to use.
- How long to marinate chicken: Overnight is my go-to for best flavor throughout. Anything longer than 1 day can make the chicken too salty.
- Before cooking, let the marinated chicken sit on the counter for 30 minutes so it’s not so cold. This will ensure even and faster cooking.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, although you may need to cook it a bit longer, depending on how thick they are.
If you used it on the chicken, simmer for about 2-3 minutes first before glazing. Otherwise, use the reserved 1/2 cup. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
You can! Though not the traditional way to go about it, this huli huli chicken recipe actually makes an amazing slow cooker meal. Add everything into your crockpot and cook on HIGH for about 4 hours, or LOW for 6.
You can bake, sear, air fry, etc. Instructions below!
Prefer to Bake Instead?
If you’d rather bake the chicken, here’s how to do it. It’s super easy and clean-up is definitely much simpler, which is great for busy nights if you already marinated ahead.
Baking instructions: Preheat oven to 375ºF. Arrange the marinated chicken on a baking pan in one single layer. Bake for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Brush with some of the reserved marinade and arrange a few pineapple slices on top. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes until caramelized and charred.
You can also use the air fryer! 375°F for about 15 minutes, turning and basting about halfway through a few times.
Make Ahead and Freezing
- Marinate ahead: Marinate the chicken ahead the day before. Then cook as directed.
- Make ahead: Cook as directed and reheat the next day. It reheats pretty well!
- Freezing: The chicken can be frozen directly in the marinade bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook as directed.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat is in the microwave oven as needed. Reheating in the oven can cause it to dry out.
What To Serve with Huli Huli Chicken
We always serve with a side of Coconut Jasmine Rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad that we get from a family-owned Hawaiian restaurant that’s near our house.
More marinades for grilling: Try our lemon marinade for chicken, pork chop marinade, or grilled shrimp marinade.
Also check out our favorite Spatchcock BBQ Chicken recipe and Honey Balsamic Chicken!
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless chicken thighs - or bone-in
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar - packed
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 cup canned pineapple juice - do not use fresh pineapple juice
- ½ cup light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh pineapple slices - to serve as a side
- Vegetable oil - for the grill
- Sliced green onions - for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the marinade: In a large resealable bag, mix brown sugar, ketchup, canned pineapple juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, smoked paprika, and ground black pepper until evenly combined.
- Reserve ½ cup of the marinade and store in the fridge for later. It will be used to baste the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs into the marinade in the resealable bag, making sure it’s all coated evenly. Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or preferably overnight.
- Before grilling: Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, get a grill pre-heated and brush the grill grates with oil.
- Cook the chicken: Grill chicken for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for about 3 minutes. Baste the chicken with the reserved ½ cup of the marinade, then flip again and cook for another 1-2 minutes on each side at a time. Repeat until fully cooked through in the center. They should cook for about 15-16 minutes total, depending on the size (use a thermometer to be sure). Remove from grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. Note: Avoid cross-contamination by only use the reserved marinade to brush the chicken.
- Grill the pineapple slices on both sides until you get beautiful grill marks. Tip: Let them grill undisturbed per side, once they develop grill marks, they should release easily.
- Serve the huli huli chicken with the grilled pineapple and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Marinating time: At least 4-6 hours for best flavor, but preferably overnight. Not longer than 24 hours (will get too salty).
- Don’t forget to reserve the marinade for basting before you add the raw chicken. Keep refrigerated until ready to used.
- If you forgot to save some marinade before adding raw chicken, you can bring it to a boil and simmer for about 2-3 minutes, and you’ll be good to go!
- To prevent the chicken or pineapple rings from sticking to the grill, make sure you grill the grates well and that it’s preheated before using.
- Target temperature: Chicken thighs and drumsticks are ready at 175-185°F for tender texture. Chicken breasts are best at 165°F.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze raw chicken and marinade together in a sealed bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then cook as directed.
- Mesquite wood: Traditionally, huli huli chicken is cooked with kiawe wood. To get a similar smoky flavor at home, use mesquite wood chips if your grill is designed for that.
- Gluten-free option. Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make the recipe gluten-free.
- You can use any cut of chicken, but the cooking time will vary. Use an instant read thermometer to be sure.
S Smith says
Can you make this in a slow cooker/ crockpot?
Tania says
Yes! Marinate as directed, then cook on HIGH for 3 or 4 hours until cooked through and tender.
Mike W says
Excellent recipe. Very tasty
Cheri says
This was fantastic. I used more ginger than indicated and also reduced the reserved sauce. It was a hit. Definitely making again.
Kathy says
Can I use Trader Joe’s 100 percent pineapple juice, not from concentrate? That’s all I have. Or are we supposed to use the juice from canned pineapple chunks? I’m making this tomorrow. Thanks
Tania says
Hi Kathy! Yes, that’s totally fine!
Kathy says
Thank you for the quick reply!! Making the marinade now!!
Rita says
Best huli huli chicken recipe I have tried! Used chicken thighs and doubled the sauce recipe, so I put aside a cup. I then reduced that cup of extra sauce on the stove so we could drizzle it over our plate of rice and chicken. It was a huge hit with the family! Thank you!
Cyn C says
Another satisfied customer! I usually turn my nose up at dark meat, but this made chicken thighs taste amazing! With the long marination, the meat was so tender and juicy. Great recipe, wouldn’t change a thing!
lisa norris says
Would this work as a freezer meal?
Mila says
Hi! It says the chicken can be marinated for up to 48 hours. Can it be marinated for more than 48 hours? Is it ok if it’s prepared a week or so in advanced and then cooked?
Jason Courtney says
Would this work on whole chickens. Having a Hawaiian themed birthday party this weekend and while chickens are on sale for 99 cents a pound. Thinking of throwing on the smoker as well
Tania says
Yes, definitely! You could cut up the chicken first and then add the marinade so that it absorbs better. Hope you all have fun – a Hawaiian themed party sounds amazing!
TNeel says
I marinated whole chicken in marinade after cutting slits under the skin into meat so marinade could get into meat well and bought a pineapple and carved it leaving bottom of pineapple in tact and core as rod for chicken to slide on like beer can chicken. Smoked on 225 for almost 2 hours. Used fresh pineapple and smoked it too! It was fantastic! We left no meat on that chicken!! If I do thighs I will slide chunks of pineapple under the skin. Great recipe!
Bubba Crocker says
We have been grilling this at least twice a month since my wife found the recipe. We make out the chicken thighs in the marinade the evening before and cook it when I get home. Always keep about half a cup for basting when I grill. Wouldn’t change a thing. Our favorite chicken, bar none!
Sean Walters says
You want to impress, use this recipe! TOP NOTCH! Super flavorful and easy to make.
I took 3 pans and placed the thighs in a single layer. Poured the marinade over and smoked on the traeger for 1 hr at 180 degrees. Took them off cranked it to 425 degrees and grilled (FLIPPING ONCE) until 165, mopping with the marinade once per side and then once before taking off the grill. TENDER AND JUICY!
I was only able to marinade for approx 4 hours – still turned out FANTASTIC. Served with a side of pineapple coconut rice
Tania says
That’s awesome, thank you Sean!
Laura says
Did you smoke them in the pan and covered with the marinade?
Kim Womack says
I am allergic to ketchup- can I use tomato paste or sauce in its place?
william says
I tried this recipe… AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!
It works if you got a family and you do not want to take hours to make it.
I 110 percent RECOMMEND THIS AS A FAMILY DINNER!
THANK YOU! COOKINGFORMYSOUL
Tania says
Thank you, William!
Cathy says
We do not typically eat dark meat but This recipe was delish! I used the boneless skinless chicken thighs and they tasted like white meat and were so juicy. I made grilled fresh pineapple slices basted with a mixture of melted butter, br sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. The chicken and the pineapple were both cooked in less than 10 min.
Cheryl OBrien says
Thighs typically do not taste like white meat, they are much more flavorful and juicy:)
Candie says
Hi,
Excited to try this, I just put it together and realized The recipe calls for olive oil but I can’t seem to find how much and if it is part of the marinade, Can you help?
Tania says
Hi Candie! The olive oil is for the pan or your grill. Sorry about the confusion!
Skip says
Can you make this a day ahead?
Tania says
Yes, you can marinate the chicken overnight. Or cook and reheat later, but I’d recommend grilling these the same day so it’s juicy and flavorful.
Jocelyn says
Wonderful flavors….this is my family’s new favorite chicken recipe. I use 3 boneless chicken breasts, butterflied, and marinade with 1/2-3/4 C for 2 hours, which still gives chicken great flavor. I heat the rest of the marinade on MED to reduce and thicken with 1 T cornstarch, mixed with a little water. I brush this on the grilled, cooked chicken and pass the rest at the table. The grilled pinapple is a treat. My 15 yr old son practically licks the plate. If there are any leftovers(?), they make for great cold lunch the next day.
Thanks Tania for a great recipe
Tania says
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Jocelyn! I am so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed it. I love the idea of reducing the marinade with cornstarch for extra sauce too!