Huli huli chicken is simply a Hawaiian version of barbecued chicken thighs. Marinated in sweet and smoky huli huli sauce, it goes beautifully with macaroni salad and a side of simple white rice.

I especially like to serve huli huli chicken in the summer time (though it tastes delicious year round) with all of the classic Hawaiian plate lunch sides, like mac salad and scoops of white rice.

The Origins of Huli Huli Chicken
Hawaiian huli huli chicken originated in 1955, when Honolulu-based businessman Ernest Morgado whipped up a teriyaki-inspired sauce based on his mom’s recipe. Sticky, sweet and smoky, it was an instant hit. It’s called “huli huli” because huli is the Hawaiian word for “turn” and huli huli chicken thighs are traditionally turned constantly as they’re grilled. For another awesome grilled chicken recipe, try Teriyaki Chicken or Grilled BBQ Chicken.


Huli Huli Chicken Sauce Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil for rich nutty flavor.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: Lots of both!
- Soy sauce: You could use gluten free tamari, if you’d prefer.
- Rice vinegar: Some huli huli sauce recipes use pineapple juice, but I usually have rice vinegar on hand, which is also sweet and acidic, so that’s what I use.
- Brown sugar: I add extra brown sugar to punch up the sticky sweetness.
- Ketchup: My forever “secret” ingredient, ketchup adds so much flavor.
- Smoked paprika: To emphasize the smoky grilled flavors, Spanish smoked paprika is key.
- Cornstarch: This helps the huli huli sauce thicken and stick to the chicken thighs as they grill.


How to Make Huli Huli Chicken, Step By Step
- Make the huli huli marinade in a small saucepan. Sauté ginger and garlic in sesame oil, add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ketchup and paprika. Whisk in a cornstarch-water slurry. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Marinate the chicken thighs in the huli huli sauce. Marinate in the fridge for up to four hours.
- Grill! Remember, ‘huli huli’ means turn! Keep flipping and basting the chicken thighs until they’re done, and they’re done when you see an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant read thermometer.

Tips + Variations
- Make the huli huli sauce ahead of time: You can mix up the marinade a day or two ahead of time, if you’d like to work ahead.
- Make it spicier! Add 2 teaspoons of sriracha or chili garlic sauce to the huli huli marinade for a spicy version of this recipe.
- Use the huli huli sauce on a different meat: Huli huli marinade works great on grilled pork chops or tenderloin or other chicken varieties.
- No grill? Bake the huli huli chicken thighs in the oven! Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes.

What To Serve With Huli Huli Chicken
- Rice
- Macaroni Salad
- Piña Coladas
- Fresh Pineapple

More Richly Flavorful Chicken Recipes
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