After our trip to Hawaii this became a new summer grilling favorite. This sweet-and-savory grilled chicken gets its signature glaze from a reduced pineapple, soy, and brown sugar marinade.
This recipe also appears in the Frugal Gastronomy “Summer of Love” Cookbook, in print alongside 19 more.
Huli Huli Chicken, known as “Hawaiian Turning Chicken”
Sweet and savory grilled chicken thighs basted with a reduced pineapple, soy sauce, and brown sugar marinade — a Hawaiian-inspired summer grilling favorite.
Equipment
- Grill
- Large mixing bowl
- Large ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup light shoyu sauce
- 1/3 cup sherry
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- 4-5 lbs chicken thighs
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken.
- Reserve 1 cup of the sauce for basting.
- Add the chicken thighs and the remaining sauce to a large ziplock bag, squeeze out the air, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for more flavor. Flip the bag every few hours.
- Reduce the reserved sauce in a small saucepan to thicken it slightly and concentrate the flavors.
- Grill the chicken, turning it about every 4 minutes and basting it with the reduced marinade each time, until cooked through.
- Optional for grilling: use smoker pellets, about 60% mesquite and 40% cherry, for extra flavor.
- Serve with a side of rice or your favorite vegetable.
