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Huli huli chicken

Hawaiian rotisserie-style grilled chicken with pineapple-shoyu glaze

Huli means turn in Hawaiian, and this chicken was named in the 1950s when a farmer on Oʻahu grilled it between two racks and flipped it over the fire; today you smell it from roadside fundraiser stands and North Shore weekend grills. Chicken is marinated in soy sauce, pineapple juice, ginger and brown sugar, then grilled and basted until sticky and charred. Chef's tip: boil the leftover marinade before basting with it, so it is safe and turns into a glaze.
Total time
65 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

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Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Whisk the 1 cup pineapple juice, ½ cup soy sauce, 2 ⅞ oz soft brown sugar, ¼ cup tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp fresh ginger, 4 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Keep back 150 ml for the glaze.

    5 min
  2. Step 2: Slash the 3 ⅓ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks pieces to the bone, put them in a bag with the rest of the marinade and marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

    240 min
  3. Step 3: Boil the reserved marinade in a small pan for 5 minutes until syrupy.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Heat a barbecue to medium with a cooler zone. Grill the chicken over the cooler side with the lid closed for 35–40 minutes, turning every 5–10 minutes.

    40 min
  5. Step 5: Brush with the glaze for the last 10 minutes and move over the hotter side to char. A common mistake is glazing from the start; the sugar burns black before the chicken is cooked.

    10 min
  6. Step 6: It is done when the thickest piece reads 165°F near the bone and the juices run clear. Rest 5 minutes and scatter with 3 spring onions.

    5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
420 kcal
Protein
40 g
Carbs
18 g
Fat
20 g
Fibre
0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does huli huli chicken take?
About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
What can I use instead of soft brown sugar?
White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.

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