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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken with a sweet-savory Hawaiian glaze that turns sticky and caramelized on the grill. Teriyaki-style marinade is basted during grilling for charred, flavorful thighs with a classic island BBQ finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade and glaze
  • 3 lb chicken thighs or legs
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 0.25 cup pineapple juice
  • 3 tbsp sherry or chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, pineapple juice, sherry, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
  2. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade for basting so you have enough to brush on the chicken while it grills.
Marinate
  1. Marinate chicken for 2-8 hours in the refrigerator, turning once if possible so the thighs get evenly coated.
Grill and caramelize
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat, then place the chicken on the grate and close the lid.
  2. Turn (huli) the chicken frequently and baste with the reserved marinade as it starts to char and look sticky at the edges.
  3. Continue grilling for 25-30 minutes total until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is caramelized, charred, and glossy.

Notes

For the stickiest Huli Huli glaze, baste during grilling with the reserved marinade only; don’t reuse the raw-marinade portion that touched chicken. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months (reheat until hot). For a lighter option, replace the brown sugar with an equal amount of light brown sugar alternative (or half sugar + half pineapple juice) to reduce overall added sugar while keeping flavor.