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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

Grilled huli huli chicken is a Hawaiian BBQ favorite with sticky, smoky, caramelized thighs glazed in a sweet-savory pineapple-soy sauce. You’ll marinate, simmer the glaze until thick, then grill to 165°F for charred, deeply glazed flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade / Glaze
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.5 cup pineapple juice from canned or fresh pineapple
  • 0.33 cup ketchup
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger fresh, grated
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
Chicken
  • 2.5 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or boneless thighs
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil for grill
  • 2 green onions sliced, for garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 pineapple rings optional, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Place chicken thighs in a large zip-lock bag or shallow dish and pour 3/4 of the marinade over the chicken.
  2. Seal and marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results, and refrigerate the reserved 1/4 marinade for later basting.
Make the glaze
  1. Simmer the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened into a sticky glaze.
  2. Set the glaze aside so it’s ready for brushing during grilling.
Preheat the grill
  1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F) and oil the grates well to prevent sticking.
Grill the chicken
  1. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat lightly with a paper towel, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Place chicken on the grill skin-side down and grill for 6–8 minutes without moving until deep char marks form.
  3. Flip the chicken, brush generously with the reserved glaze, and continue grilling for 6–8 more minutes, brushing with glaze every 2 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is caramelized.
Optional pineapple + rest + serve
  1. Grill pineapple rings for 2–3 minutes per side until caramelized and golden.
  2. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
  3. Serve with grilled pineapple and steamed white rice.

Notes

For the best caramelized exterior, keep basting on the second half of grilling and avoid flipping too early—char builds as the sugar in the glaze thickens. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3–4 days; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar to 1/4 cup and add 1–2 tsp extra pineapple juice to keep the glaze pourable.