Huli Huli Grilled Chicken

Hello and welcome! I have a great grilled chicken recipe just in time for all the barbecue parties and get togethers celebrating the Fourth of July this weekend. Huli Huli Grilled Chicken. Much like the Sweet and Sticky Grilled Chicken we did a couple weeks ago, this Hawaiian grilled chicken is a fantastic alternative to the usual barbecue-sauced grilled chicken. With a simple all-in-one teriyaki-style marinade and basting sauce, the magic happens on the grill. Let’s get right to it!

In Hawaiian, Huli means “turn”. The name Huli Huli refers to how the chicken is grilled. Originally, the marinated chicken was placed between two racks and the whole rack was turned during cooking. We will replicate this method by turning and basting frequently during the cook.

The Huli Huli Grilled Chicken recipe and method was created in 1955, by a Honolulu businessman named Ernest Morgado. I have adapted it from a recipe by Margaux Laskey, via NYT Cooking. My adaptation to Laskey’s recipe is that we fully cooked, turned and basted the chicken pieces over indirect heat, then finished over the flame for color and a little char. Fully cooking the chicken over indirect takes a little longer, but it takes the urgency out of babysitting the chicken over direct heat.

Marinade and Basting Sauce

If you have the time, let the chicken pieces marinate overnight. The marinade is simple: ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and apple cider or rice vinegar.

Combine the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce in a large measuring cup. grate the fresh ginger and garlic directly into the measuring cup, whisk to combine.

Pour about 1/2 cup of the marinade into a jar to save as the basting sauce. Pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken pieces in a gallon-size zipper lock bag. Squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag. Seal the bag and lay flat in the fridge for the overnight marinate. Flip the bag over in the fridge just before you turn in for the night.

Time to Grill

Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge about 2 hours before grilling time. Set up your grill with an indirect heat side. We are looking for the ambient temperature in the grill to be about 350 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the bag and place on a small sheet tray. Take the marinated chicken, sauce, brush and grill tongs out the grill. Also bring a fresh sheet tray for the grilled chicken.

Place the chicken pieces on the indirect heat side of the grill, baste and close the lid. We will flip and baste the chicken pieces every 7 minutes for a total of about 40 minutes.

Start temping the chicken at the 30 minute mark. Every grill is going to be different. So when the chicken reaches an interior temperature of 160-165 degrees, transfer the chicken to the direct heat to finish.

By the time you lay down the last piece of chicken on the direct heat, the first pieces you set down are ready to flip. By the time you flip the last piece of chicken you placed over the flame, the first pieces are ready to come off the grill.

Pull the chicken pieces off of the flame when they have developed a deeper color and a little char. Temp the meatiest part of a thigh, you’re looking for a temp of 170 degrees F.

We had our Huli Huli Grilled Chicken with rice and baked beans; this chicken would be great alongside your Fourth of July spread, or go for the full Hawaiian experience with macaroni salad or coleslaw, baked beans, and pineapple fried rice. No matter what you serve it with, this teriyaki-style Hawaiian Huli Huli Grilled Chicken will be a hit! Take care and be well everyone! xo Kelly

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Huli Huli Grilled Chicken

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Dinner, Main Course – Hawaiian

By Adapted from Margaux Laskey, via NYT Cooking – Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 Minutes, plus an overnight marinate – Cooking Time: ~45 Minutes – Total Time: ~1 Hour, plus an overnight marinate

Teriyaki-style Hawaiian Huli Huli Grilled Chicken is turned and basted throughout its cook on the grill; for a deep, sweet and savory flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup Packed Light or Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 (1-inch) piece Fresh Ginger, grated
• 2 to 3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and grated
• 3.5 to 4 lbs. Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Pieces

Instructions

Marinade and Basting Sauce

1

Combine the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce in a large measuring cup. grate the fresh ginger and garlic directly into the measuring cup, whisk to combine.

2

Pour about 1/2 cup of the marinade into a jar to save as the basting sauce. Pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken pieces in a gallon-size zipper lock bag. Squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag. Seal the bag and lay flat in the fridge for the overnight marinate. Flip the bag over in the fridge just before you turn in for the night.

Grilling

3

Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge about 2 hours before grilling time. Set up your grill with an indirect heat side. We are looking for the ambient temperature in the grill to be about 350 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the bag and place on a small sheet tray. Take the marinated chicken, sauce, brush and grill tongs out the grill. Also bring a fresh sheet tray for the grilled chicken.

4

Place the chicken pieces on the indirect heat side of the grill, baste and close the lid. We will flip and baste the chicken pieces every 7 minutes for a total of about 40 minutes.

5

Start temping the chicken at the 30 minute mark. Every grill is going to be different. So when the chicken reaches an interior temperature of 160-165 degrees, transfer the chicken to the direct heat to finish.

6

By the time you lay down the last piece of chicken on the direct heat, the first pieces you set down are ready to flip. By the time you flip the last piece of chicken you placed over the flame, the first pieces are ready to come off the grill.

7

Pull the chicken pieces off of the flame when they have developed a deeper color and a little char. Temp the meatiest part of a thigh, you're looking for a temp of 170 degrees F.

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