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Huli Huli Chicken (Tropical Hawaiian Chicken) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 134 reviews

Huli Huli Chicken is a flavorful tropical Hawaiian dish featuring marinated chicken thighs or breasts grilled to perfection with a sweet and tangy pineapple-based sauce infused with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and a hint of heat from Sriracha. This recipe offers a perfect balance of caramelized, juicy chicken with an irresistible island-inspired marinade and optional grilled pineapple garnish.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 1.5 kg / 3 lb chicken thighs (or breast, skin on or off)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Marinade

  • 3/4 cup (185 ml) canned or bottled unsweetened pineapple juice (NOT fresh)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated garlic
  • 1/2 cup tomato ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup sherry or Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Garnishes (optional)

  • Sliced green onion
  • Pineapple slices, grilled for 3 minutes on each side with grill lines

Instructions

  1. Prepare Marinade: Combine pineapple juice, freshly grated ginger, garlic, tomato ketchup, soy sauce, sherry or Chinese cooking wine, brown sugar, Sriracha, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil in a bowl and mix well. Reserve 3/4 cup (185 ml) of this marinade separately for basting later.
  2. Marinate Chicken: Place the chicken pieces in a non-metallic container such as glass or ceramic, pour the remaining marinade over to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 24 to 48 hours for best flavor and tenderness.
  3. Preheat Grill or Skillet: Brush your BBQ grill grates with vegetable oil and preheat to medium-high heat. Alternatively, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  4. Cook Chicken – First Side: Remove excess marinade from the chicken. Place chicken pieces on the hot grill or skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the first side is nicely golden brown; adjust heat if browning occurs too quickly.
  5. Cook Chicken – Second Side: Flip the chicken pieces and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side.
  6. Baste Chicken: Generously dab the reserved marinade over the chicken pieces, then flip and cook for 1 minute more.
  7. Continue Cooking and Basting: Repeat basting the chicken with the reserved marinade every minute or so, flipping as needed, for a total cooking time of about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 75°C (167°F) for thighs or 65°C (150°F) for breasts.
  8. Rest and Garnish: Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 3 minutes. Serve garnished with sliced green onions and optionally grilled pineapple slices for an authentic touch.

Notes

  • Chicken: Boneless thigh gives the best caramelization though breast can be used with very good results.
  • Pineapple Juice: Use canned or bottled unsweetened pineapple juice, NOT fresh juice or puree, as fresh pineapple contains strong tenderizers that can over-tenderize and affect texture. A 430g/14oz can of pineapple in natural juice yields approximately 3/4 cup juice. If using sweetened juice, reduce sugar in the marinade by half; if pineapple is in syrup, omit added sugar completely.
  • Ginger and Garlic: Use a microplane grater on unpeeled ginger and garlic for best flavor and texture, or fresh grated is preferred over jarred paste for maximum freshness.
  • Sherry or Chinese Cooking Wine: This adds an essential depth of flavor. Substitute with mirin (reducing sugar by 1 tbsp) or low-sodium chicken stock (increase liquid to 1/2 cup) if unavailable.
  • Nutrition: The nutrition facts assume six servings and that half the marinade is absorbed or adheres to the chicken. Using low-sodium soy sauce and ketchup will reduce sodium content further.

Keywords: Huli Huli Chicken, Hawaiian Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Pineapple Chicken, Tropical Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Chicken Thigh Recipe

Find it online: https://busyrecipe.com/huli-huli-chicken-tropical-hawaiian-chicken-recipe/