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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken with a sweet-savory Hawaiian glaze that turns charred and sticky as the marinade caramelizes. Medium-heat grilling with frequent turning (huli) and basting creates caramelized, island BBQ flavor on chicken thighs.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs or legs
  • 3 lb chicken thighs or legs
Huli huli marinade
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 0.25 cup pineapple juice
  • 3 tbsp sherry or chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make and reserve the marinade
  1. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, pineapple juice, sherry or chicken broth, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy.
  2. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade in a separate container to use for basting while grilling.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Add chicken thighs or legs to the remaining marinade, turn to coat, and cover; refrigerate for 2-8 hours so the flavors penetrate.
Huli and grill
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat and place the marinated chicken on the grates.
  2. Grill, turning (huli) frequently, and baste with the reserved marinade to build a sticky surface.
  3. Continue cooking for 25-30 minutes total until the chicken is caramelized and the thickest part reaches 165°F.

Notes

Pro tip: because the reserved marinade is for basting only, keep it separate from the chicken until you’re ready to grill. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended due to texture changes after caramelized glazing. For a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar by 2-3 tbsp and add a spoonful of pineapple juice to keep the glaze pourable.