Huli Huli Chicken Sauce Recipe

A sweet and tangy Hawaiian-style sauce made with pineapple, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Perfect for marinating or glazing chicken for that classic Huli Huli flavor.

Course BBQ, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, BBQ, Hawaiian

Keyword comfort food, grilled, huli huli chicken sauce, smoked, spicy

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 15

Marinating Time 2

Servings Servings

Calories 793kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

Huli Huli Chicken Sauce

1 cup Soy Sauce low sodium recommended
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Fresh Ginger grated
4 Garlic Cloves minced
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Sriracha or chili garlic sauce

For the Chicken

3-4 lb. Whole Chicken split in half
3 cups Pineapple juice (for marinating)
1 cup Water (for marinating)

Instructions

Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, ketchup, dark brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and sriracha in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Divide the sauce into two equal portions. Place one portion into a container.
Combine the other portion with the 3 cups of pineapple juice and 1 cup of water and place in a resealable bag or airtight container with the raw chicken. This is your marinade.
Set the remaining sauce aside as your reserved marinade for basting. Do not allow the two portions to mix.
Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for 2 to 4 hours. Remove, pat dry with a paper towel, and rest uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking.
Preheat the smoker to 275°F. Hang the split chicken skin-side out (or place it directly onto the grill grates on indirect heat).
Cook undisturbed for 45 minutes, then begin basting with the reserved marinade every 10 minutes.
When the breast reads 160°F, and the thigh reads 175°F on an instant read thermometer, apply a final coat of the remaining sauce and let it become tacky.
Pull the chicken and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the marinated split chicken on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. This allows air to circulate around the chicken and helps the skin crisp up. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting with the reserved marinade every 20 minutes.

In the last 5 minutes, switch the oven to broil and apply a final coat of sauce. Watch it closely under the broiler since the sugar in the sauce can go from caramelized to burnt quickly. Pull when the breast hits 160°F, and the thigh hits 175°F and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition