Hawaiian BBQ Chicken (Huli Huli Chicken)

This Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe is a delicious combination of sweet pineapple, savory BBQ sauce, and tender boneless skinless chicken breasts. It's a family favorite that is perfect for a summer bbq! 

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe   
• Ingredients
• Instructions 
• Equipment
• FAQ's
• Deb's tips
• Variations
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Serve with
• Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe   

✔️ Pineapple juice and soy sauce mixed with a homemade barbecue sauce make for the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors. 

✔️  Serve over a bowl of white rice or brown rice for a new family-favorite meal. 

✔️ You only need simple ingredients to help you make this sweet and tangy recipe. 

Ingredients

Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements. 

• ketchup
• brown sugar
• soy sauce
• pineapple juice
• sesame oil
• fresh garlic cloves
• fresh ginger
• rice wine vinegar
• sriracha sauce
• chicken thighs

Instructions 

This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions, scroll down to the bottom.

1. Start by making the sauce; mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Place in a small pot. Measure the remaining ingredients and add to the small saucepan. 
2. Place the saucepan over high heat on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat (keep it at a bubble), stirring constantly for five minutes. 
3. Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool completely. 
4. Place chicken in a large ziplock bag. Pour half the marinade over the chicken. Massage the chicken so the marinade gets everywhere. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting. Refrigerate chicken and marinade, flipping occasionally—marinade for at least six hours or overnight. 
5. When you're ready to grill, remove the bbq sauce, shaking off excess marinade.
6. Grill until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Slathering with sauce while barbecuing.

Equipment

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• small saucepan
• freezer bag
• gas grill or charcoal grill

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FAQ's

Deb's tips

• If you don't have storage bags on hand you can use a bowl to marinate the chicken in. If it doesn't have a lid then use plastic wrap to keep it tightly sealed. 
• You can make the marinade a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container like a mason jar until you are ready to marinade the chicken. This will save you a little time on busy days. 
• For a nice pop of color, you could garnish this chicken with sliced green onion, sesame seeds, or even pineapple slices. 
• It's important that you ensure that the marinade comes to room temperature before you pour it over the chicken, never pour a hot marinade over raw chicken as it can cause bacteria to grow.

Variations

• If you are not a fan of spice and only want a sweet sauce you can leave the sriracha out altogether. 
• Howver, if you want to add more heat to your BBQ sauce, add more sriracha or even a bit of cayenne pepper. 
• Instead of using chicken breasts, you could also use this sauce on pork chips, chicken wings, or even boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.

Storage

Refrigerate -  Allow the chicken to cool completely before storing the leftover chicken in an airtight container. It should be good for up to 3 days in the fridge. 

Freezing - You can also freeze this chicken for up to 3 months. Place a single layer of paper towels between each piece of chicken so they don't stick together when freezing. 

Reheat - Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for  2-3 minutes, or until hot. You can also reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Or on the stove top over medium heat in a skillet for about 5 minutes or until warm all the way through. 

Related recipes

• If you love easy weeknight dinners, then turn your leftover chicken into this California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza. It's the perfect way to breathe some new life into your leftover chicken. 
• Do you enjoy bbq chicken? If so, add this Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs recipe to your meal plan next week. It's a simple recipe, and you won't have to worry about the weather and grilling outside. 
• This Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken is one of the easiest meals that you can make. It's flavorful, tender, and perfect for busy nights when you need something that you can dump and go. 

Serve with

• If you ask my family, we think that you can't have huli huli chicken with a rice side dish. This Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice is one of my favorite recipes to make with this easy recipe. 
• Now if rice isn't your thing, you'll want to make Deviled Egg Potato Salad!
• Do you want to add some fresh vegetables to your meal? If so, this Pan-fried Vegetable recipe is the one you want to make. It has a delicious flavor without a lot of work involved. 
• If you are not a fan of rice, you could also serve this delicious grilled chicken with a potato side dish like this Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes recipe. The potatoes are tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and full of rosemary flavor.

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