Huli Huli Chicken

Huli Huli Chicken has a cool history and an even better taste. With a homemade marinade and short cook time, you’ll make this a staple dish in your meal plan!

The History of Huli Huli Chicken

Legend has it that the name Huli-Huli came quite by accident.  A man named Ernest Morgado barbecued mass quantities of chickens between two grills. When one side of the chicken halves was cooked, someone would shout, “huli,” which is Hawaiian for “turn.”

Morgado liked the name “huli-huli” so much that he registered the trademark with the Territory of Hawai’i in 1958 and the federal government in 1965. How cool is that?

How to Make Your Own Huli Huli Chicken

What do I need to get started?

Of course the main ingredient is the chicken. Any part of the chicken will work beautifully with this dish, so I say choose what you like best. I prefer bone in chicken breasts, legs or thighs, and I’ll tell you why:

1. Any time you cook with the bone in you will have not only more flavor but the meat is more tender, and
2. Grilling with the bone in allows for more cook time which allows for nice deep grill marks.

It’s all in the Marinade

The marinade is more of a sauce consistency, very liquidy. It is flavored with pineapple juice, brown sugar, ginger, some garlic, ketchup, wine, and soy sauce.

It is sweet from the pineapple, smoky, tangy, and fruity all at the same time.  I used chicken thighs for this recipe and marinated in a glass baking dish for a few hours.  You’ll be surprised how much the chicken soaks this up.

Here’s what you will need:

• Pureed pineapple
• White wine
• Chicken broth
• Tamari (organic soy sauce)
• Ketchup
• Brown Sugar
• Ginger
• Worcestershire sauce
• Olive oil

Mix all the ingredients for your Huli Huli chicken, and simply add it to a Ziploc bag that has your chicken in it. Save about a half cup for basting throughout the cooking process.

You can marinade your chicken for an hour up to over night.

Cook your Huli Huli Chicken

In order to get a true Hawaiian BBQ flavor in your Huli Huli chicken it simply must be grilled. Turn the grill on high heat and allow it to get nice and hot for about 5 minutes. Carefully place the chicken on the grill and cover.

The trick to getting perfectly cooked and flavorful chicken is to turn them every 5 minutes or so, basting in between. If you are unsure whether the chicken is cooked through, stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part with a meat thermometer.

The chicken should have an internal temperature of 160° to 165°.

What do you serve with this delicious BBQ chicken?

1. Pineapple Fried Rice: A sweet and savory combination of pineapple, rice, vegetables, and soy sauce brings a taste of the tropics to your plate.
2. Classic Coleslaw: A refreshing coleslaw is a perfect compliment.
3. Grilled Pineapple Slices: Grilling pineapple slices enhances their sweetness and adds a delicious caramelized flavor to complement the Huli Huli chicken.
4. Rainbow Macaroni Salad: Creamy macaroni salad with a blend of mayonnaise, vinegar, and seasonings is a classic side dish.
5. Grilled Vegetables: Colorful skewers of bell peppers, zucchini, and onions grilled to perfection complement the chicken with a delightful smokiness.
6. No Bake Key Lime Pie: The perfect ending.

HULI HULI CHICKEN RECIPE
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