Grilled Huli Huli Chicken Thighs

We first tried this iconic recipe at a restaurant and our tastebuds did the hula right then and there! Back home, we were on a mission to crack the code of that magical marinade, and if I do say so myself, we think we stuck the landing. The grilled Huli Huli chicken thighs were sticky, sweet, savory, juicy…..the works!

The whole Huli Huli chicken craze started back in the ’50s thanks to a naval intelligence officer named Ernest Morgado. The name “Huli” means “turn” in Hawaiian and it makes sense as the chicken was cooked on a grill with a makeshift spit. Bystanders would yell “huli” when the chicken would need to be flipped. Fun, right?

The exact recipe of the teriyaki style marinade he used has remained a mystery but plenty of chefs and cooking aficionados managed to recreate it. So we tried our hand at it too!

It instantly became my son’s all time favorite meal. There will probably never be a recipe on this site that we have cooked more than this one. Hands down.

🐔 Ingredients

• Skinless Boneless Chicken Thighs
• Huli Huli Marinade
• Brown sugar
• Ketchup
• Soy sauce (we used low sodium)
• Chicken broth
• Ginger
• Garlic

🍲 Preparation

Step 1: Combine all of the marinade ingredients together and stir well. Reserve 1/3 of a cup in a bowl before you add the chicken. You’ll use that to baste the chicken later. Don’t forget or you won’t have the sticky glaze.

Step 2: Add the chicken thighs and the marinade in a Ziploc bag. Put the bag in a bowl in the fridge for about 6 hours.

Note: I learned the hard way that Ziploc bags are not always drip proof. When I opened the refrigerator several hours later, the marinade dripped out and made a mess all over the place. So, definitely give yourself a second layer of protection and use a bowl.

🔥 Grilling Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the grill to 350-375°F using direct heat. Also, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit out while the grill is heating up.

If you have a GrillGrate, this is the time to use it. It heats up quickly and leaves insanely gorgeous sear marks while cooking the chicken extremely fast.

Step 2: Remove the chicken from the marinade, place it on the grill and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.

Step 3: Turn the thighs over and let the other side grill for 7-8 minutes.

Note: If you are using the GrillGrate, it reduces the cooking time to about 4 minutes per side. Monitor closely to make sure the meat doesn’t burn.

Step 4: In the last few minutes, brush the reserved marinade on the chicken. This will develop into a nice caramelized sauce and add a tremendous flavor.

Step 5: Remove the chicken and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Check for an internal temperature of 165°F. That is the key more so than the time.

We love serving this with grilled pineapple slices to keep those Hawaiian flavors true! Nevertheless, this is grilled chicken so you have plenty of sides to choose from.

💡 Expert Tips

We learned a few things as we made grilled Huli Huli chicken thighs many times over the years.

📌Make sure you cook this on direct heat. You will want the chicken to sear. Not only will it leave pretty grill marks, but it adds a lot of flavor to the meat.

📌Don’t rush it.  Give the grill plenty of time to heat up before throwing these on. I was impatient once and the meat was thoroughly cooked before I was able to sear it.

📌Make sure you brush on the reserved marinate near the end. It adds a last bit of wet/sticky and delicious flavoring before it is removed.

❓ Recipe FAQ

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