This huli huli chicken is chicken thighs marinated in a mixture of pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and spices, then grilled to tender perfection. A tropical meal that’s easy to make and is sure to please any crowd!
You can never go wrong with chicken and pineapple – it’s a sweet and savory combination that’s always a winner. When I’m craving an island style dinner, I make pineapple chicken, Hawaiian chicken or this easy huli huli chicken.
When the weather is nice, I find myself spending a lot of time outdoors at the grill. This huli huli chicken is one of my all time favorite grilling recipes. The marinade takes just minutes to make, and the end result is the most tender and juicy chicken you’ll ever eat!
What is huli huli chicken?
Huli huli chicken is a Hawaiian dish that consists of marinated chicken that’s grilled and basted with sauce. In Hawaii, you can often find whole chickens cooking on spits over the grill, but in this case we’re using boneless chicken thighs to simplify things a bit.
How do you make huli huli chicken?
This recipe starts with creating a marinade by whisking together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup and sesame oil. Next, you will add garlic and ginger to the marinade. Place the chicken thighs into the marinade and refrigerate for at least one hour. Remove the chicken from the marinade, then grill it for 6-8 minutes per side or until cooked through. Baste the chicken with reserved marinade while it’s on the grill. After the chicken is done, it’s time to add sliced pineapple to the grill. Finally, plate the chicken and pineapple and garnish with green onions before serving.
Tips for Huli huli chicken
- Don’t have an outdoor grill? You can cook this chicken on a stove top grill pan or in the broiler.
- I typically use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but chicken breasts will also work just fine.
- I like to serve my chicken over steamed rice with a steamed vegetable on the side.
- You can freeze your uncooked chicken in a bag of marinade for up to 2 months. Thaw the bag overnight in the refrigerator, then grill as directed.
- Make sure to purchase sliced pineapple that’s packed in juice, not the type that’s packed in heavy syrup.
HOW LONG DO YOU MARINATE CHICKEN?
The chicken needs to marinate for at least 1 hour, but I like to leave the chicken in the marinade for up to 24 hours if I have the time. You don’t want to go past 24 hours as the acid in the pineapple juice will eventually break down the chicken.
WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD CHICKEN BE COOKED TO?
Chicken thighs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The easiest way to gauge if your chicken is done is to insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. Once you’ve reached the correct temperature, remove the chicken from the heat and let it rest for 3 minutes before you slice it.
I love to serve this chicken for parties – it’s always a big hit and I get tons of requests for the recipe!
More great chicken dinners
Huli Huli Chicken
Ingredients
- 20 ounce can sliced pineapple
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic minced
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
Instructions
- Drain the pineapple, reserving 1 cup of the pineapple juice. Save the pineapple slices for later use.
- Place the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup and sesame oil in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in the refrigerator in a small bowl. This will be used later on to baste the chicken.
- Stir the garlic and ginger into the large bowl of marinade. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side or until chicken is done, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade.
- Place the pineapple slices on the grill. Cook for 2 minutes per side.
- Place the pineapple and chicken on a plate. Sprinkle with green onions, then serve.
Tracey Mitchell says
I ran out of fresh garlic and ginger. Can I use ground ginger and garlic powder? Also can I use crushed pineapple.
Sara says
Yes use 1/3 of the amount of dried ginger and garlic!
Maribel says
when cooking it in the oven so i put the pineapple and chicken together and it cooks together?
Sara says
Yes add it during the last 5-7 minutes of the cooking time.
Lisa Rupena says
Has anyone tried this in an airfryer? If so, time/temp?
Kelsey says
Hi. I love this recipe and make it a lot. Can you tell me how many ounces of chicken is one serving?
Sara says
It should be 4 ounces!
Sophie says
Perfect amount of savory and sweet! The marinade was very flavorful
Gladys Davila says
This was absolutely delicious! I did add a 1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar to the marinade as I had seen it was part of the original recipe from the Hawaiian chef. Thank you so much for sharing! We ate it all up with Coconut Jasmine Rice and Grilled Asparagus.
Alicia says
So incredibly delicious and tender! The only thing I left out where the green onions. Total crowd pleaser!
Peg says
We made this last night for dinner and it was delicious. My husband grilled it. So happy a friend shared this recipe with me. Will definitely be making it again and again.
Deb says
We loved the grilled pineapple that went with the chicken! Really comes out nice and it was easy to make!
Kelly says
If cooking in an oven, what temp & for how long?
Sara says
400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes!
Max says
Dumb question….. do you bake it on a cookie tray? Or in a pan? Do you spray the cookie tray or pan before baking in the oven?
Thank you
Sara says
You can make it on a sheet pan coated with cooking spray.
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
This is such a great weeknight meal!
Jacque Hooper says
What a great mixture of sweet and smokey! My kids love pineapple; I am looking forward to making this for them! Sounds amazing!
Noreen says
I’m having a party for a crowd. Can I make this ahead and then just heat it up slightly ahead of time? What are your suggestions? Thank you 🙂
Sara says
That should work just fine, I’d bake it covered at 325 until warmed through!
Beth Pierce says
Love the perfect balance of sweet and savory with this meal! You have me dreaming of a tropical vacation, indeed! Delicious!
Krista says
That sauce and that grilled pineapple…YUM! Well done!
Taylor says
This chicken is calling my name!! That marinade looks absolutely delicious!
Catalina says
I am drooling over this chicken dish! I love all these flavors! So delish!
Michelle says
There is a new Hawaiian restaurant here and I LOVE their Huli Huli chicken! I can’t wait to try this at home and see how it goes!
Roxi says
What do you serve with this? Need help!
Sara says
Serve with rice and a green veggie such as asparagus or broccoli!