Description
Hawaiian huli huli chicken brings island flavors dancing across your plate with sweet and tangy marinade perfection. Juicy grilled chicken promises a tropical escape that delights senses and transports you straight to Pacific paradise.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sauce Base Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) ketchup
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) low sodium soy sauce
Seasonings:
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Craft a vibrant marinade by whisking pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ground ginger, and minced garlic in a mixing bowl until thoroughly blended.
- Transfer the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag, submerge chicken breasts, and refrigerate for 4-12 hours to allow deep flavor penetration.
- Heat outdoor grill to medium-high temperature (around 375-400°F) approximately 10 minutes before cooking.
- Extract chicken from refrigerator, carefully drain and discard used marinade to prevent cross-contamination.
- Position chicken breasts onto preheated grill grates, creating 45-degree angle for attractive crosshatch marks.
- Grill chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, rotating midway to ensure even caramelization and consistent cooking.
- Verify doneness by checking internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer, piercing thickest portion of chicken.
- Allow grilled chicken to rest 3-5 minutes after removing from heat, which helps redistribute internal juices and maintain tenderness.
- Plate the huli huli chicken alongside complementary sides like steamed rice, grilled pineapple, or crisp island-inspired salad.
Notes
- Swap pineapple juice with orange juice for a tangy twist if you can’t find fresh pineapple juice.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts for more intense flavor and juiciness.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace regular soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
- If you lack outdoor grill access, this recipe works perfectly with indoor grill pan or oven broiler method at high temperature.
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 196 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg