Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
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This easy Huli Huli chicken brings all those irresistible sweet, savory, tropical flavors to the grill, without requiring a rotisserie or a whole afternoon. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated in a pineapple-soy mixture, then coated with a flavorful dry rub before grilling for beautifully caramelized, smoky edges. There's very little work involved, but the key to achieving deep flavor is letting the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours. Served over white rice with grilled pineapple, this simpler, just-as-delicious take on the Hawaiian classic makes an easy weeknight dinner and perfect to serve a crowd.
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Vegetable oil for oiling grill grates
For the marinade
- ½ cup pineapple juice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey or lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane (see notes)
- 1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, grated on a microplane (see notes)
For the dry rub
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional for smoky flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
Optional for serving
- pineapple slices
- sliced green onion
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- Pat the chicken dry and place in a large glass bowl (or ziplock bag).
- In a 2-cup measuring cup, or medium bowl, combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, ketchup, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Mix well. Measure out 1/3 cup of the marinade and set aside for basting.
- Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and toss, or massage, to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. TIP: remove the chicken from the fridge 15-20 minutes before you're ready to grill them.
Grill the chicken:
- When ready to grill the chicken, preheat the grill to medium heat (about 350ºF – 375ºF). Lightly oil the grates.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and kosher salt. Mix well.
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper (for easy clean-up). Remove the chicken from marinade, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, then arrange the thighs on the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle both sides evenly with the dry rub mixture.
- Place the chicken thighs on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until the undersides are beginning to caramelize. Flip and cook for another 4–5 minutes.
- Turn one side of the grill to low and move the chicken to that side. Brush both sides with the reserved marinade and continue cooking for 3–4 minutes, flipping and brushing with more marinade as needed. If the chicken needs more color, move it briefly to the hotter side of the grill, watching closely to prevent flare-ups. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 175°F–185°F.
- Transfer chicken pieces to a large platter and let rest for 3–5 minutes.
Grill the pineapple:
- If grilling pineapple, place the pineapple rings on the grill grates over medium-high heat. Grill for 1-2 minutes a side, or until lightly charred and grill marks appear.
Serve:
- Serve the huli huli chicken with the pineapple and garnish with sliced green onion, if using.
Notes
- Pineapple juice: Since the marinade doesn't call for a lot of pineapple juice I buy the small cans of pineapple juice (Dole's brand). If you can't find the small cans, you can buy the cans of sliced pineapple and just tip out the juice.
- Garlic and ginger: If you don't have a Microplane for grating the ginger and garlic, you can finely mince them instead. Just be sure to remove as much of the minced garlic and ginger as possible from the chicken before grilling, as the small pieces can burn over the high heat of the grill.
- Cook over moderate heat: Marinades that contain sugar can scorch quickly on the grill. To avoid burnt or bitter bits, it’s best to grill chicken thighs at medium heat, giving them a little extra time to cook through while allowing the sauce to caramelize gently instead of burning.
- To store: Leftover Huli Huli chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up 4 days.
- To reheat: Place leftover chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet. Heat in a pre-heated 300ºF oven until warmed through. Alternatively, you can microwave on medium power for a few minutes.