Huli Huli chicken is a Hawaiian HIT at our house!
It was created back in the 1950s in Hawaii. Originally, the chicken was cooked over a pit, thus inheriting the name Huli Huli or “turn turn” chicken.
We first had this at a neighbor’s house in Texas and fell in LOVE! He was from Hawaii and shared the recipe, and we’ve been making it ever since.
This main dish is perfectly juicy and mostly savory, with a little bit of sweetness for a favorite Hawaiian dinner. With delicious Hawaiian flavors, you’ve got a taste of paradise on your own patio! It’s a backyard getaway with every delicious bite.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Prepped in minutes. This huli huli sauce only requires a handful of easy ingredients, and all you do is mix! Grilling this chicken recipe is just as simple.
- For any meat. This yummy, easy dinner idea can be made with various cuts of meat!
- Serving variations. This can easily be served alone or on Crock Pot Rice or Garlic Noodles.
Huli Huli Chicken Ingredients
- Brown sugar (1 cup, packed): Adds sweetness and helps the sauce caramelize beautifully. Use light or dark brown sugar.
- Ketchup (¾ cup): Gives body, tanginess, and color to the glaze.
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce (¾ cup): Provides salty umami depth.
- Chicken broth (⅓ cup): Thins the marinade slightly for even coating.
- Ginger (2 teaspoons): Adds warm, fresh spice and signature Hawaiian flavor. Or 3-4 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger.
- Minced garlic (2 teaspoons): Balances the sweetness with savory depth.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (12): Tender, flavorful, and perfect for grilling. We prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs because they stay moist when cooked on the grill better than breasts. Without the bone, they are easier to eat. With that said, you can use boneless or bone-in, breasts or thighs. The marinade also tastes great with pork.
How to Make Huli Huli Chicken
MARINATE. Mix brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, broth, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Take out 1 cup and reserve for basting (and refrigerate).
- Place the rest of the huli huli chicken marinade into a large Ziploc bag with the thighs. Refrigerate overnight.
GRILL. Discard the marinade from the chicken and grill the thighs until they’re no longer pink (about 5-7 minutes per side), basting with the reserved marinade as you grill. Serve warm. ENJOY!
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs (they stay juicy), but if you use chicken breasts, make sure to pound them to an even thickness. For bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, increase the grilling time to 6-9 minutes per side.
- Marinate overnight for the best flavor and tenderness.
- Reserve some marinade before adding raw chicken so you can safely baste while cooking. Brush with marinade near the end for that glossy, caramelized finish.
- Our secret to tender chicken is to take it off the grill at 160°F and allow it to rest. The temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees, bringing it to a safe 165°F.
- For oven directions: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sear the outside of the chicken in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, then place the chicken on a baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- We love to make a freezer meal: Freeze the chicken in the marinade for up to 6 months. The chicken will continue to marinate as it thaws in the fridge and will be ready to throw on the grill.
Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Mix brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, broth, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Take out 1 cup and reserve for basting (and refrigerate).
- Place the rest of the marinade into a large Ziploc bag with the thighs. Refrigerate overnight.
- Discard marinade from chicken and grill thighs until no longer pink (about 5-7 minutes per side), basting with the extra marinade as you grill. Serve warm. ENJOY!
Notes
- If chicken breasts are used, pound them to an even thickness. Grill boneless chicken thighs or breasts for 5-7 minutes per side. For bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, sear for 5 minutes on each side and move to indirect heat and grill another 20-25 minutes, flipping occasionally.
- Take the chicken off the grill at 160°F and allow it to rest. The temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees, bringing it to a safe 165°F.
- Oven-baked directions: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sear the outside of the chicken in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, then place the chicken on a baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Make a freezer meal: Freeze the chicken in the marinade for up to 6 months. The chicken will continue to marinate as it thaws and will be ready to throw on the grill.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Freeze the chicken in the marinade for up to 6 months. The chicken will continue to marinate as it thaws and will be ready to throw on the grill.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
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This recipe was originally published May 2017.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
I finally made your Huli Huli Chicken & it is the best chicken I’ve every had!!! I think your recipe sez to discard the marinade after the chicken is moved to the grill. Heck, it tastes sooo good, I imediately made a nuther batch w/ it & it is just as tasty!! I also made a batch of your potato salad last week & it was best I’ve ever had!!! I’ll never lose that recipe! Tomorrow I’ll be making your Pasata Salad ( I’ve already made that before & it just great too!! So, I’m having pasta Salad & Hulli Huli chix tomorrow 4 dinner. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!
Now that is the kind of comment I love to wake up to on a Monday morning. Sounds like you’ve got your dinner all covered. All that’s missing is a dessert! ;O)
Could not have loved this grilled chicken more! So perfect for a weeknight meal. It was so easy to make and turned out amazing!
This chicken was delicious and it tasted exactly like the chicken I had tried in Hawaii when I visited there.
This reminded me so much of all the huli huli chicken I’ve enjoyed in Hawaii. So delish!
Loaded with flavor! I added a little more garlic because we love it and it was a huge hit!
I love how juicy and tender it is! We’re addicted to this huli huli chicken!
this chicken dish was everything that I wanted it to be and more! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Yummy 😋
Tasty recipes 😋
Love this recipe for the Huli Huli Chicken as we grill food all the time. This was delicious!
A great recipe! Instructions are super easy to follow.
I made this and my adult kids said they loved my Teriyaki Chicken hahaha
This recipe is so good and very easy to make. My son loves Hawaiian Bros and he was so surprised when I made this that he said it was better!
This sounds amazing!!
I have made this many times and it SO good! Everyone loves it!
Good recipe!
can you use skinless boneless chicken breasts?
Yes you could!
My junior chef loved this recipe
This chicken is so yummy! It’s full of flavor, tender and juicy! My family loved it!!
Can’t wait to try this. We, as your friends did lived in Hawaii the first few years we were married. Had huli huli chicken for many occasions. Always with a side of macaroni salad.
I lost my recipe a few years back & could not replicate it, of course could not remember exactly what ingredients I had used. Your recipe looks just like what I used to make. Brings back many fond memories of great places and great friends. Thank you
P
You’re welcome! I love that good food can bring us back to good memories and times!
this recipe looks delicious. Will definitely try it this summer
This Huli huli recipe is great. I’ve had it many times in Hawaii and this takes very close to the original! Thank you for this recipe as it reminds me of beautiful Hawaii. Highly recommend you try this.
Can’t wait to try this recipe😜
This was amazing. I ended up smoking the chicken thighs to give them a little more and wow was it good.
Ooh that sounds amazing too!
Love, love, love this! What a great recipe. We enjoyed every bite. Your recipes are wonderful. I really love making them.
I can’t wait to try this recipe on my new griddle! It looks perfect for us!
We love huli huli. Simple and easy to make. One of our favorites. Great for get togethers.
Chicken gnocchi soup is my favorite
Recipe sounds great! I cannot wait to try it!
Hope you enjoy!!
Delicious!! Easy to make, we serve over rice, noodles or as “burgers”!
This chicken has a wonderful taste to it. We tried different variations instead of the brown sugar since I’m diabetic . Crushed pineapple was incredible . You could also do teriyaki sauce. Thanks for all the good recipes. Happy Summer! 🌞😎🏖️🌈
I want to try this recipe this weekend!
Hope you enjoy!!
This chicken is so nice and delicious. I will be keeping this in my recipes for years to come. I love the time of year that you can go out and start BBQing!!! Thank you. I love almost everything you post.
This is some of the best chicken I have ever had. Thanks for sharing the great recipe.
Hands down our family’s favorite way to grill chicken! So flavorful and delicious!
Your photos for this recipe are so appetizing, they make me want to out and buy chicken immediately.
Chicken Chicken Chicken. and then there this wonderful recipe flavorful juicy wonderful.
So good and adaptable to your family!
I give this a 5 star rating because it is a simple recipe, using ingredients that are not expensive, that will give you a wonderful Hawaiian flavored marinade and chicken. I have had Huli Huli Chicken at a restaurant and loved it. Can’t wait to try this at home. So many recipes are complicated…this is not!
This is the easiest and best sandwich ever! It’s a 5 star for everyone in our family!!
so delish!
i need low salt recipes and this one has the ability to change all ingredients to low/no sodium.
it says 1593/serving, but you can drop it below 1000 if you change to no salt ketchup and salt free chicken broth!
yes they do make them now!!!
thanks so much for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the feedback!
Wow… this was delicious! I marinated half as directed, and marinated the other half with a couple pineapple juice. My husband says the original recipe was better! It was so delicious and we were both surprised and how the simple ingredients brought the flavor out in the chicken thighs. I put them on the grill approximately 14 minutes total and they came out tender and perfect.
I gave the recipe to my sister. Her husband and Sons hate chicken thighs. She baked them in the oven at 375° for 25 minutes. All 3 boys had seconds. My nephew said “Mom, this one’s a keeper”.
Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you all enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing what you did.
This is my family’s go to grilled chicken ! I love it because we usually have all the ingredients in our house . We make it every time we have guests for a BBQ and everyone absolutely loves it !
I lived in Hawaii for decades, the locals don’t use ketchup, and use kiavia wood to get the right smoke flavor
Oh that’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!
My boys love this! Everytime I make it the boys eat it up. I have cooked it in the crocpot!
what is “chicken brother”?
That should say chicken broth. Thanks for catching it. We’ll get that fixed!
I would give this 10 stars if I could! The flavor is so delicious it has become my go to for bowls, tacos and even chicken tostadas. If you haven’t made it you must try it! So good!
Aw, thank you!! So so happy to hear you love the chicken!
So juicy, tender and flavorful! This is my family’s favorite way that I prepare chicken.
We made this with some cilantro lime rice & it was so good!! Hearty & tasty!!
So flavorful and fun to make! Will surely have this amazing recipe again! Thanks a lot for sharing it! Highly recommended!
I made this chicken tonight for a different take on chicken thighs. It was delicious! I served it on Jasmine Rice with a bit of sauce spooned over it. My husband was raving about it well after dinner. I’ll be saving this recipe for our next family get together!. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear the chicken was a hit. Thanks for sharing!!
Our favorite chicken EVER!
I have made this recipe so many times – it has definitely turned into a family favorite! The chicken is so flavorful from the marinade.
We made this this past summer and yummy!!! Brought me back to Hawaii!!
This is our go to recipe for grilling in the summer. The flavor combined with grilling is just perfection. I usually serve it with rice and fruit.
My kids love this one!
Made it tonight and was a huge hit! Easy and delicious. Thanks
Happy it was a hit!! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know 🙂
i usually use your itaLian dressing idea to marinade my chicken, bUt i cant wait to try this New recipe. It looks so Good!
This chicken is incredible. Such an amazing taSte. Everyone loves it.
This is such a great moist chicken. The flavor is AMAZING and reminds me of Hawaii!
So juicy and delicious!
This is the most amazing chicken. The flavor and smell is the BEST! Making this again SOON!
THis Chicken is amazing!! Can’t wait to make it again!
This chicken was amazing!! I loved the flavor & can’t wait to use it in other recipes! Super easy!
This would be amazing on a bed of fresh salad leaves. A slight twist on a Caesar’s?!
Totally!! Thank for sharing that idea!
This was a great recipe! I NEVER leave replies on recipes; however, I couldn’t not sing the praises of this chicken. I am a decent cook, kids have traveled the globe and sampled many recipes. Tonight’s quote from my 13yo foodie: “Mom, this is the best chicken ever!”. Not the best I have made; the best he has eaten. This will be on our menu often! Grilled to perfection, tastes great hot or cold, will be great cooked in large batches and served multiple was as leftovers.
Also gotta give a shout out for your Cheesy Beef Goulash recipe. I have two competitive swimmers who are teen boys. They get hangry during swim season often. This is great to make for them. I love it also. But easy, filling, and versatile. I can use any pasta, tomato product, and cheese and it always turns out great.
You are so sweet!! I am so glad that these recipes pass 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know!!
We made this dish last week and it was amazing! Made it with thighs, rather than breasts, and it was very moist. I would hesitate to use breasts because they would be drier. The thighs were very flavorful. Instead of basting the chicken, I drizzled the extra marinade over the cooked chicken for extra flavor. Leftovers were equally good!!
Sounds great!! I am glad you liked it! Thank you so much!
So the ginger is ground and the garlic is fresh? On the menu for the week!
Yes – or minced garlic works too!
Is the ginger ground or fresh?
I just used ground ginger. I’m sure fresh ginger would be great, too. Hope that helps!! Enjoy!
So does this really need to be made with thighs? Have you tried it with breast?
I have not, but I don’t see why not?! I’d love to know what you think, if you try it. Thank you!
I live in Hawaii and the smell of this cooking from big food trucks near the beach is incredible!
Oh, I bet! That seems wonderful!