Huli Huli Chicken

As of late, I found myself daydreaming about Hawaii - the breathtaking views, aloha spirit and out-of-this world cuisine. During a trip to Maui, my mom and I discovered the wonder that is Huli Huli Chicken, while enroute to Hana. Let me tell you - the chicken was PHENOMENAL! The marinade, the cooking technique and the end result was absolute perfection!

With all that daydreaming, I started to crave Huli Huli chicken. Short of jumping on a plane to Hawaii and indulging in this mouthwatering dish, I knew that I had to recreate it at home. To the drawing board I went! It all starts with the marinade, which consists of pineapple juice, soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari), ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic and ginger. The chicken is marinated for a number of hours before being cooked rotisserie style over a grill.

My Huli Huli Chicken recipe relies on using the oven to cook the chicken and the marinade works double duty here! Not only does it tenderize and flavour the chicken but it cooks down into the most beautiful, silky, fruity and flavourful sauce. But, if grilling is your thing, I’ve got you covered. My recipe has also been adapted for the grill. For the grilling option, refer to the Notes section below.

Serve my Huli Huli Chicken with some Hawaiian Fried Rice and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! So, let me show you how it's done! Grab a spoon and come and cook with me! Mahalo and enjoy!

For more fun and exciting chicken ideas, try my Cajun Chicken, Honey Garlic Chicken Wings, Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Orange Chicken recipes!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 53 minutes

Total Time: 68 minutes

Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 - 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (See Notes below)

• 1 cup canned pineapple juice

• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari (See Notes below)

• 1/3 cup ketchup

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

• 2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

• 1 Tbsp ginger, minced

• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp hot sauce, such as Sriracha

• Fresh or canned pineapple slices, as garnish

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, as garnish

Instructions:

1. Preparing the Marinade: To a 9” x 13” baking dish, add the pineapple juice, soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari), ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and Sriracha and whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside.

2. Marinating the Chicken: In a single layer, add the chicken to the marinade, turning it over to ensure that it is evenly coated. Transfer the chicken thighs to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the meat to tenderize and the flavours to meld.

3. Cooking the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425F. While the oven preheats, remove the chicken thighs from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

4. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken thighs have fully cooked. Transfer the chicken thighs to serving platter and set aside.

5. Making it Saucy: Carefully ladle the sauce from baking dish into a medium saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Then, reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced by half. Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs and let it stand for 5 minutes.

6. Garnish the Huli Huli Chicken with sliced pineapple and green onions. Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

1. Are the Chicken Thighs Cooked?!: You know your chicken thighs are fully cooked when a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers an internal temperature of 165F (74C).

2. Gluten-Free, Please!: To keep this recipe gluten-free, simply substitute the low sodium soy sauce with gluten-free tamari on a 1:1 basis. Be sure to check the label on the tamari sauce for the ingredients. Some store-bought varieties are not gluten-free in nature and contain or may contain gluten (including wheat flour).

3. Let’s Get Grilling: Prepare the marinade and transfer 1/2 cup of marinade to a small bowl and set aside. This marinade will be used for basting the chicken as it cooks. Add the chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow the flavours to meld. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400F - 450F). While the grill is preheating, remove the chicken thighs from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature for 20 minutes. Cook the chicken thighs on an oiled or seasoned grill for 6 - 7 minutes per side or until fully cooked. During the last 5 minutes of cook time, baste the chicken thighs with the reserved 1/2 cup of marinade. Serve and enjoy!