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Let’s get the grill going with some Huli Huli Chicken Thighs. Perfectly grilled, tender and juicy chicken thighs marinated in a sweet Hawaiian style marinate and glaze. All topped of with sriracha mayo, this dish is the perfect weeknight dinner option.
Don’t forget my Grilled Pineapple Throne Chicken for more tasty ideas!
Table of Contents
What is Huli Huli?
A Hawaiian delight, this Huli Huli sauce and marinade is the perfect combination of savory spices and tropical fruity flavors. This teriyaki style sauce is sweet, sticky and delicious. Usually used on chicken over an open fire, Huli Huli sauce is perfect on pork as well. A huli huli marinade is made from brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and pineapple juice to give it it’s distinctive flavor profile.
Step 1: Make the huli huli marinade.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can do all the prep work the night before, and grill it up for dinner the next day.
To start, make the huli huli marinade. In a mixing bowl, add ketchup, brown sugar, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger paste, minced garlic, sesame oil and Dad’s All Purpose rub. Whisk the ingredients together and set aside. Set aside about 1/3 of the marinade into another bowl for later use.
Recipe Tip
Skip the chicken breast and use thighs for this recipe. They are juicier, more flavorful and just come out better than chicken breast on the grill.
Next, place the boneless chicken thighs into the marinade and place it in the fridge overnight. If you are making this recipe the day of, make sure to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Step 2: Grill the huli huli chicken thighs.
Set the grill to high direct heat at 450 degrees and place the marinated Huli Huli chicken thighs on the grill. Flip every 2-3 minutes until the meat reaches 165 degrees internal temp. Baste the chicken with the reserved marinade and leave them on the grill allowing the sauce to caramelize.
Add a few slices of pineapple on the grill to get a nice char on them. It’s a great side for the chicken.
Once the huli huli chicken thighs reach 170 degrees remove them from the grill and let them rest. This process will allow the protein to reach its optimal temperature of 175 degrees and ensure tender and juicy meat. For more sweet chicken recipes, check out my Grilled Orange Chicken.
Before serving, finish with sriracha mayo and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! When making these inside, i like using a cast iron skillet to cook the chicken. You get a beautiful sear and can make it all in one skillet.
Yes, any chicken thigh recipe can be replaced with the breast. The breast is leaner than the thighs, therefore remove the meat at 160 degrees and let it rest. This will ensure a tender and juicy chicken breast. For maximum flavor, it’s best to stick with chicken thighs.
If you tried these Huli Huli Chicken Thighs or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Huli Huli Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Boneless chicken thighs
- 1 can Sliced pineapple
- 1 tbsp Chopped green onion
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds
Huli Huli Marinade Ingredients
- 1 cup Pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup Ketchup
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Minced ginger
- 1 tbsp All purpose seasoning
Instructions
- To make the Huli Huli marinade, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Make sure the brown sugar is dissolved. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade for basting.
- Place the chicken thighs in the marinade and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Overnight for optimal flavor.
- Set the grill to high direct heat at 450 degrees.
- Place the marinated Huli Huli chicken thighs on the grill. Flip every 2-3 minutes or until the meat reaches 165 degrees internal temperature. Baste with the reserved marinade every time you flip.
- Add a few slices of pineapple on the grill to get a nice char on them. It's a great side for the chicken.
- When the chicken thighs reach 165 degrees remove them from the grill and let them rest. They will get up to 175 degrees leaving the chicken tender and juicy.
- Before serving, drizzle with sriracha mayo for an extra kick and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Sweet, spicy, tangy and smokey. This is one of our favorite ways of making chicken. I hope you like it as much as we do!