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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

Grilled huli huli chicken with a glossy pineapple-teriyaki glaze and deep char marks. Bone-in chicken is marinated for hours, then grilled with a reduced basting sauce for sticky caramelized flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
marinating 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces (thighs or leg quarters)
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.5 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp mirin or dry sherry
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
Grilled pineapple and garnish
  • 4 pineapple rings for grilling
  • green onions
  • sesame seeds

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the Huli Huli glaze and marinate
  1. Whisk soy sauce, pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, mirin (or dry sherry), garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl until smooth, then reserve 1/3 of the mixture for basting.
  2. Marinate the chicken in the remaining sauce for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once if possible, until the meat looks coated.
Reduce marinade and grill the chicken
  1. Simmer the reserved marinade in a small saucepan for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, glossy, and lightly reduced.
  2. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  3. Place chicken on the grill bone-side down and cook, turning every 8-10 minutes, basting generously with the reduced glaze each time.
  4. Continue grilling 30-35 minutes total until deeply caramelized with visible char, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Grill pineapple rings and finish
  1. Grill pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side until marked and lightly caramelized.
  2. Serve the grilled pineapple rings alongside the huli huli chicken, then top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For best flavor and sticky glaze, let the chicken marinate uncovered in the fridge for the first 1-2 hours so the surface dries slightly, then cover. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Dietary swap: replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar for a similar sweetness with a slightly different caramel note.