Description
Experience the tropical flavors of Hawaii at home with this recipe for Grilled Huli Huli Chicken. This dish features a juicy, spatchcocked whole chicken marinated in a sweet and tangy pineapple brine, then grilled to perfection and finished with a homemade huli huli sauce. Perfect for serving with rice and Hawaiian mac salad, this recipe delivers authentic island taste and beautiful grill marks every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Brine
- 1 whole chicken, 4-5 pounds, spatchcocked and halved
- 3 cups canned pineapple juice (not fresh)
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ketchup (optional, for color)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- Ground black pepper, to season
Mom’s Huli Huli Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons shoyu or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Spatchcock and halve the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place it breast-side down on a cutting board and use sharp kitchen shears to cut along each side of the backbone and remove it. Flip the chicken breast side down and press down firmly on the breastbone to crack it open, then flip the chicken so it lays flat breast side up. Cut through the breast to create two halves. Tuck wing tips behind breasts to prevent burning.
- Brine the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup (if using), and kosher salt. Reserve 1 cup of this brine in a separate airtight container for basting. Submerge the halved chicken pieces in the remaining brine, cover or seal the container, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours.
- Prepare the grill: Remove chicken from the fridge at least 60 minutes before grilling to reach room temperature. Pat the chicken dry, discard leftover brine. Set up your grill for indirect cooking with zones of direct high heat and indirect heat. Preheat gas grill for 15 minutes or charcoal grill for 30 minutes.
- Make the huli huli sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Grill the chicken: Place chicken breast side up on the indirect heat side of the grill, close the lid. Grill for up to 1 hour, rotating the chicken 180 degrees every 15 minutes. With each rotation, baste the chicken generously with the reserved pineapple brine. Cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast without touching the bone.
- Rest the chicken: Remove chicken from grill and transfer to a plate. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes so the internal temperature rises to 165 degrees F and juices redistribute.
- Serve: Carve the chicken as desired and serve immediately, drizzled with huli huli sauce. Serve alongside rice and Hawaiian mac salad for an authentic plate lunch experience.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- Save the grilled chicken carcass to make homemade chicken stock or broth.
- Try other chicken cuts like bone-in thighs, drumsticks, or wings with adjusted grill times.
- For oven roasting, cook at 425 degrees F for 1 to 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating and basting every 20 minutes.
- Smoked huli huli chicken can be made by smoking at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
- To save time, prep huli huli sauce and brine chicken ahead (up to 2 days in advance).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 6 ounces cooked chicken with sauce)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
