This Huli Huli Chicken Makes Weeknight Dinners Feel Special

I’m not claiming this is authentic Hawaiian cooking. But I AM claiming this Huli Huli Chicken will be the easiest, most flavorful thing you grill this week. It’s one of those recipes where you mix a few simple ingredients together in the morning, forget about it all day, then look like a genius at dinner time.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

You probably have most of these on hand, but you might need to pick up the sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. But there are tons of recipes that use them, so don’t worry about wasting your money. Grab them and I promise I’ll share more things to use ’em up!

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup pineapple juice (use canned juice, not fresh, to avoid breaking down the proteins too much)
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons ginger paste

How to Make Huli Huli Chicken

This is easy. Really! I won’t even make you chop anything. Just make sure you start around lunch time so the chicken has plenty of time to marinate.

Step 1: Combine the Marinade Ingredients and the Chicken

Place everything in a large zip-top bag: ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup canned pineapple juice, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 2 teaspoons ginger paste. Then put the chicken right in there. It will all mix up together over time.

Place your 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag: this helps the marinade make contact with all surfaces of the chicken.

Step 2: Let Marinate

Pop it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, though overnight works even better. Don’t try to rush this step.

Step 3: Prep for Cooking

When you’re ready to cook, heat your grill pan over medium heat or fire up your outdoor grill to medium-high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. This helps prevent flare-ups and helps you get those beautiful grill marks. Discard the used marinade.

Step 4: Grill the Chicken

Place your chicken on the hot grill surface. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side. Keep an eye out for flare-ups since the sugar in the marinade loves to caramelize but can burn quickly.

If it starts charring too fast, just move it to a cooler part of the grill.

Step 5: Flip and Finish

Flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°F. Don’t trust appearance alone.

Step 6: Rest Before Serving

Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Be patient, it makes a difference and it’s only a 5-minute wait.

Storage Instructions

tore them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They’re delicious cold, sliced over a salad, or gently reheated in a 350°F oven until just warmed through.

For make-ahead meal prep, you can freeze the chicken right in the marinade. When you’re ready to cook, just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and continue with the recipe as written.

What to Serve with Huli Huli Chicken

• This is amazing with Hawaiian macaroni salad.
• Sliced pineapple is lovely too.
• When it doubt, white rice is great too.
• And you’ll want this super easy Mandarin orange and pineapple cake for dessert.

More Weeknight Chicken Favorites

Chicken for dinner, again? Yes, but you’re going to like it.

• A pickle juice marinade makes plain chicken breast special.
• Not grilling season? These brown sugar and soy sauce bone-in thighs cook perfectly in the oven.
• And for a bunch of happy kids in your house, make my famous buttermilk fried chicken tenders.

Questions and Troubleshooting

Printable Recipe