Grilled Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Recipe Brings the Islands Home (7 Ingredients) by Jan Mostrom

We’re having a bit of an Indian Summer at our house and we have a new grill. That's why we were very happy to try this grilled huli huli chicken recipe. This easy chicken recipe became famous in the mid 1950s when a Honolulu business man cooked chicken marinated in his mom’s teriyaki sauce for a group of farmers. Evidently it was so popular that business man decided to market the sauce with the name Huli Huli.

Huli huli means "turn" in Hawaiian, which references the way the chicken was pressed between two racks and then turned over halfway through cooking. Although the cooking is just straight on your grill, huli huli chicken remains a wonderful way to celebrate the sweetness of the beautiful islands of Hawaii.

Huli huli chicken is marinated all day or overnight, which makes it moist and tender with a sweet, tart finish. To make this Hawaiian chicken recipe you will need ketchup, soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for a gluten-free dinner), brown sugar, rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, fresh garlic and chicken (boneless or bone-in).

Pro Tip: The leftover chicken is delicious shredded for chicken salad or to toss in fried rice.

You can easily cook this in a preheated 375-degree F oven in the marinade for about 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

We served our chicken with charred corn and chickpea salad and my favorite quinoa salad. The chicken would also be delicious served over a grain like quinoa or brown rice. 

Photo credit (all photos): Jan Mostrom

Cuisine: Hawaiian / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 8 to 24 hours to marinate
Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes plus time to marinate 
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced
• 3 1/2 - 4 pounds chicken breasts, legs or thighs (or a combination)

Here's how to make it: 

1. In a large container or plastic resealable bag, add the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Stir to combine. Remove 1/2 cup of the marinade to a small bowl and place in the refrigerator for basting while cooking. For a gluten-free dinner, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.
2. Add the chicken to the marinade and make sure it’s all covered in the mixture. Cover if in a container or seal the bag and place in the fridge for 8 hours or up to overnight. Use whatever kind of chicken you like. We used boneless chicken breasts.
   
3. When you are ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium. Spray the grill with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Put the chicken on the grill. Close the grill and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the chicken every 5 minutes and basting with the reserve marinade.
   
4. Remove the chicken when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remember, if you are grilling chicken with a bone they take longer to cook.
   
5. Serve the chicken with your favorite side dishes. Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge.
   

Nutritional information for this recipe includes the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Depending on marinating time, ingredients, cook time, etc., the actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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