Are you ready to bring the sweet, savory, and unbelievably delicious flavors of a classic Hawaiian barbecue right to your own backyard? This incredible, from-scratch Huli Huli Chicken is the ultimate taste of the islands. Tender, juicy chicken thighs are soaked in an addictive, tropical-inspired marinade that brilliantly doubles as a thick, glossy glaze when grilled to smoky perfection.
This isn’t just another chicken recipe; it’s a guide to your new favorite summer grilling tradition. We’ll show you the simple secrets to an authentic, flavor-packed marinade and the foolproof technique for grilling the juiciest chicken thighs every single time. This is the perfect, crowd-pleasing meal for your next cookout, family gathering, or for a week of delicious meal prep that tastes like a vacation.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Taste of the Islands
What makes this Huli Huli Chicken so spectacularly delicious is its iconic, sweet and savory flavor profile and the foolproof grilling method that yields a perfectly moist and tender result. “Huli-Huli” means “turn-turn” in Hawaiian, which traditionally refers to the chicken being cooked on a rotisserie and turned as it’s basted. This easy homemade version captures that same spirit on a standard grill. The secret lies in a simple but powerful homemade marinade, loaded with the perfect, salty-sweet balance of soy sauce, brown sugar, and fresh aromatics. A portion of this marinade is safely reserved to be used as a basting glaze, creating a stunning, sticky, and caramelized finish.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 9 hours (includes 8 hours marinating) |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 12 |
The Essential Ingredients for Authentic Huli Huli Chicken
This recipe uses a handful of simple pantry staples to create its signature authentic flavor.
- The Chicken (Thighs are the Star!):
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: This is the absolute best cut of chicken for grilling, especially for a crowd. Chicken thighs have a slightly higher fat content than chicken breasts, which makes them incredibly juicy, flavorful, and almost impossible to dry out on the grill. They are wonderfully forgiving and stay tender even if slightly overcooked.
- The “Magic” Marinade & Glaze: This is where all the incredible, addictive flavor comes from!
- The Savory & Sweet Base: A classic combination of reduced-sodium soy sauce provides the salty, umami backbone, while packed brown sugar provides a deep, molasses-like sweetness that is essential for a beautiful caramelization on the grill.
- The Aromatics: For the absolute best, most vibrant and authentic flavor, it is essential to use freshly minced ginger root and freshly minced garlic.
- Sherry: A splash of dry sherry adds a wonderful, complex, and fragrant note to the marinade. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can easily substitute it with an equal amount of pineapple juice, which is a very traditional and delicious addition to Huli Huli sauce.
- The Authentic Addition (Pineapple Juice!): For an even more authentic, tropical flavor and an extra tenderizing boost from its natural enzymes, we recommend substituting the sherry with an equal amount of 1/3 cup of pineapple juice.
Step-by-Step to the Best Huli Huli Chicken
This delicious meal comes together in just a few simple stages.
Step 1: The “Huli Huli” Marinade
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the 1 cup of brown sugar, the 3/4 cup of soy sauce, the 1/3 cup of sherry (or pineapple juice), the 2 1/2 teaspoons of minced fresh ginger, and the 1 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic.
Step 2 (The Most Important Step for Food Safety!): Reserve 1 1/3 cups of this mixture in a separate, airtight container. Cover it and place it in the refrigerator. This reserved, untouched portion will be your safe and delicious basting sauce for later.
Step 3: Divide the remaining marinade between two large, shallow dishes or large, resealable zip-top bags. Add 12 of your boneless, skinless chicken thighs to each dish. Turn the chicken to ensure it is completely and evenly coated.
Step 4: Refrigerate the chicken, covered, for at least 8 hours, or overnight, for the most incredible flavor.
Part 2: Grill to Juicy, Glazed Perfection
Step 1: When you are ready to cook, preheat your grill to a medium heat. Make sure your grill grates are clean, and then oil them well.
Step 2: Drain your chicken, discarding the used marinade.
Step 3: Place the marinated chicken on the hot grill. Cover the grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes on each side.
Pro Tip: The only 100% foolproof way to guarantee perfectly cooked chicken is to use an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is perfectly and safely cooked when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh registers at least 165°F (74°C). The recipe’s suggestion of 170°F is also perfectly safe and great for thighs.
Step 4 (The Glazing Step!): During the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, begin to baste the chicken occasionally with your reserved, clean marinade. This will create a beautiful, thick, sticky, and perfectly caramelized glaze without giving the sugar enough time to burn.
Let the cooked chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.
The Best Authentic Huli Huli Chicken (Hawaiian Grilled Chicken)
A large-batch recipe for Huli Huli Chicken, a classic Hawaiian-style grilled chicken dish. This recipe features boneless, skinless chicken thighs that are marinated for at least 8 hours in a sweet and savory, teriyaki-style sauce made with brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, sherry, fresh ginger, and garlic. The marinated chicken is then grilled over medium heat until cooked through and basted with a reserved portion of the fresh marinade during the final minutes of cooking to create a flavorful glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup sherry or chicken broth
- 2 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 24 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6 pounds)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, and garlic to create the marinade.
- Reserve 1 1/3 cups of the marinade for basting; cover and refrigerate this portion.
- Divide the remaining marinade between two large shallow dishes. Add 12 chicken thighs to each dish and turn to coat them thoroughly.
- Cover the dishes and refrigerate the chicken for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat a grill to medium heat and oil the grates.
- Drain the chicken, discarding the used marinade.
- Grill the chicken, covered, for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 170°F.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking, baste the chicken occasionally with the reserved marinade.
Notes
- This is a large-batch recipe, perfect for parties, barbecues, or for meal prepping.
- For food safety, it is crucial to use a reserved, separate portion of the marinade for basting the cooked chicken, and to discard the marinade that was in contact with the raw meat.
- Marinating the chicken overnight is a key step for the most flavorful and tender result.
What to Serve With Your Huli Huli Chicken
This beautiful and versatile grilled chicken is a fantastic centerpiece for a complete and delicious Hawaiian-style meal.
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad: The absolute number one, classic pairing for any Hawaiian BBQ plate lunch. It’s a simple, creamy pasta salad that is the perfect, cool counterpoint to the sweet and savory chicken.
- Steamed White Rice: A scoop of simple, fluffy white rice is a must-have for soaking up all the delicious, extra glaze.
- Grilled Pineapple: A few rings of fresh pineapple, grilled alongside your chicken until they are warm and caramelized, is a fantastic and traditional side.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: This is the perfect make-ahead recipe for a party! You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. This will not only save you time but will also result in an even more flavorful chicken.
- Storage: Store any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The leftovers are fantastic when served cold and sliced in salads or wraps, or when gently reheated.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Ketchup Base: Many modern Huli Huli sauce recipes include ketchup for a tangier, thicker base. You can add about 3/4 cup of ketchup to your marinade for this flavor profile.
- Make it Spicy: For a delicious sweet and spicy flavor, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce (like sriracha) or a generous pinch of red pepper flakes to your marinade.
- Use a Different Protein: This delicious and versatile marinade is also absolutely fantastic with other proteins. Try it with pork tenderloin, shrimp, or even firm, cubed tofu. You will just need to adjust the marinating and the grilling times accordingly.
Enjoy a True Taste of Hawaii!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of sweet, savory, and tropical flavors. This classic Huli Huli Chicken is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch marinade to create a meal that is truly extraordinary. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become your new summer grilling staple.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What does “Huli Huli” actually mean?
“Huli-Huli” is a Hawaiian term that means “turn-turn.” The name originated in the 1950s from the original creator, Ernest Morgado, who cooked the chicken on a rotisserie with two grills, and would shout “Huli!” to his assistant when it was time to turn the spit.
Q2: Is it really safe to use a marinade as a basting sauce?
No, it is never safe to use a used marinade that has been in contact with raw meat or poultry without boiling it first. This recipe brilliantly and safely solves this problem by having you divide the fresh marinade at the very beginning. You use one portion for the long marination (which you discard), and the other, completely clean and untouched portion is reserved for serving as your delicious and completely safe basting sauce.
Q3: How do I keep the sugary glaze from burning on the grill?
The secret is to wait to apply the glaze until the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, as the recipe directs. If you were to baste the chicken for the entire grilling time, the high amount of brown sugar in the sauce would burn and become bitter long before the chicken was cooked through. Basting at the end allows the glaze to heat up, thicken, and caramelize perfectly without burning.
Q4: What is the best way to keep my chicken from sticking to the grill?
The two most important secrets are to make sure your grill grates are very clean and very well-oiled. Preheat your grill first, then use a grill brush to scrape off any old, stuck-on debris. Then, use a wadded-up paper towel, dipped in a high-smoke-point oil (like canola or vegetable oil) and held with a pair of long tongs, to wipe a thin, even layer of oil over the hot grates right before you add your chicken.
Q5: Can I make this recipe in the oven?
Yes! To bake, place the marinated chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of baking, you can baste the chicken with the reserved marinade. For a more caramelized finish, you can place the basted chicken under the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes.