This Hawaiian-style huli huli chicken turns plain poultry into a sweet-savory main course kissed with pineapple juice and soy sauce. First, a quick marinade builds layers of flavor; then high heat caramelizes the glaze, making every bite sticky and charred. If you crave fresh grilling recipes that work year-round, this dish delivers island vibes right from your oven.
Table of contents
Huli Huli Chicken
Course: MainCuisine: HawaiianDifficulty: Medium4
30
minutes40
minutes300
kcal1
hour10
minutesJuicy chicken pieces marinated in pineapple-soy glaze, then roasted until lightly charred for a taste of Hawaii.
Ingredients
2 (3-lb) chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sherry
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, crushed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Directions
- Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry.
- Whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sherry, ginger, garlic, green onions, and dry mustard until sugar dissolves.
- Add chicken to a large resealable bag, pour in marinade, press out air, seal, and massage to coat. Chill 4 hours or overnight.
- Position rack 6 inches from heat and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Arrange chicken skin-side up on a broiler pan; reserve marinade.
- Bake, turning every 10 minutes and basting with reserved marinade, until browned on both sides, 30–45 minutes.
- Chicken is ready when an instant-read thermometer reaches 160°F in the thickest part.
Notes
- Serve with sticky rice or a fresh pineapple slaw.
What You’ll Need
Gather these ingredients and a few basic tools before you start:
- 2 whole chickens (about 3 lb each), cut into pieces
- Unsweetened pineapple juice
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Dry sherry or apple juice
- Fresh ginger root
- Garlic cloves
- Green onions
- Dry mustard powder
- Large resealable plastic bag for marinating
- Broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet with rack
- Tongs for flipping
- Instant-read thermometer
Detailed Cooking Instructions
Time needed: 5 hours
Marinate chicken in a sweet-savory pineapple glaze, then roast until caramelized for authentic huli huli flavor.
- Dry the chicken
Pat the chicken pieces dry so the marinade clings better.
- Make the marinade
Stir pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sherry, ginger, garlic, green onions, and dry mustard until smooth.
- Marinate
Seal chicken with marinade in a bag, massage gently, and refrigerate 4–24 hours.
- Preheat oven
Move rack near the broiler element and preheat to 425°F.
- Arrange chicken
Place chicken skin-side up on a broiler pan, saving leftover marinade.
- Bake and baste
Roast 30–45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes and brushing with reserved marinade until browned.
- Check doneness
Finish when the thickest piece hits 160°F; rest 5 minutes before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- For deeper flavor, extend the marinating time to twenty-four hours and use only chicken thighs if you prefer juicier meat.
- Grilling works too—set your grill for medium-high heat and turn (“huli”) the pieces every 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Leftovers reheat well in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes; the glaze perks up with a quick splash of pineapple juice.
- Swap sherry for apple cider vinegar if alcohol isn’t on hand; the tartness still balances the sweet brown sugar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Classic huli huli sauce combines pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger, and garlic, giving the chicken its sweet-savory glaze.
Teriyaki sauce is thicker and relies on mirin, while huli huli chicken uses pineapple for tropical acidity and is repeatedly turned (“huli”) for a charred finish.
“Huli” means “turn” in Hawaiian. Street vendors traditionally rotate whole chickens over open fires, so the name highlights the constant turning that builds even caramelization.
Sticky rice, grilled pineapple rings, or a bright cabbage slaw pair well, and baked beans make a hearty backyard barbeque spread.
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