Huli Huli Chicken is one of Hawaii’s most iconic grilled chicken recipes. Traditionally this is made with whole chicken split in half and cooked over an open fire and basted with a sweet and savory glaze, the chicken develops beautiful layers of caramelized flavor while staying incredibly juicy inside. This version is made with leg quarters and cooked on a pellet grill.
When I was living in Hawaii, my husband and I made trips to our favorite food truck often for Huli Huli chicken, but this is just not something you can find easily in South Dakota. So I decided to try and make my own at home. I’ve experimented with different versions, but this one… it is definitely worth making again!
Huli Huli Chicken is a labor of love! And while the steps are simple and its’ mostly a “hands-off” recipe, this is definitely a weekend project. The overnight brine keeps the chicken tender, while the glaze brings together pineapple, ginger, garlic, and soy without becoming overly sweet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredible balance of sweet, savory, and smoky flavors
- Overnight brine keeps the chicken juicy
- Perfect for pellet grills
- Great for feeding a crowd
- Wonderful for meal prep
- The glaze doubles as a sauce for rice and grilled pineapple
- Leftovers reheat surprisingly well
How to Make Pellet Grill Huli Huli Chicken
Step 1: Brine the Chicken
I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for this, but you can also use soy sauce in place of the Bragg’s. Just be sure to reduce the salt by half so that the chicken doesn’t get too salty.
To make your brine combine water, Bragg Liquid Aminos, kosher salt, garlic, and ginger in a large container. Stir until the salt dissolves, then add the chicken, making sure it stays submerged.
Refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours.
About an hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the brine and pat it completely dry. Letting the skin dry while the grill preheats helps it brown much better than putting wet chicken directly on the grill.
Why Brining Makes the Best Huli Huli Chicken…
Brining seasons the meat all the way through instead of just the surface. It also helps the chicken retain moisture while it cooks, which is especially helpful during longer cooks on a pellet grill.
Step 2: How to Make the Best Huli Huli Glaze
This glaze is one of my favorite sauces for chicken, and even when I don’t have time to make the full recipe I will make this glaze.
To make it you simply combine the pineapple juice, Bragg Liquid Aminos, brown sugar, spicy ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan. Simmer gently until reduced by 1/3.
Don’t Have Spicy Ketchup? Regular ketchup works perfectly well. Simply add a few dashes of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce to give the glaze a little warmth. It doesn’t need to be spicy, just enough to balance the sweetness.
Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil and fresh lime juice. Adding them now, off the heat, ensures the sesame stays aromatic and the lime stays bright, which is exactly how we want this glaze to finish.
The glaze should still be fairly thin, which is what you want as you are building flavor through several light coats instead of one thick layer at the end.
Step 3: Smoke the Chicken
Preheat your pellet grill to 275°F. Place the chicken skin-side up and cook until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 150–155°F. This usually takes about 60 to 75 minutes, depending on the size of your leg quarters.
Step 4: Build the Glaze
Increase the grill temperature to 350°F. As the grill heats, brush on your first thin coat of glaze.
Wait about 15 minutes then flip the chicken, applying another thin coat of glaze. This helps both sides develop a beautiful caramelized finish.
Continue cooking, adding additional glaze every 10-15 minutes until the thighs reach 180–185°F.
Why Cook Dark Meat to 185°F?
Chicken thighs and legs are very forgiving. Unlike chicken breasts, they become more tender as they cook because the connective tissue has time to break down. While they’re technically safe at 165°F, cooking a little longer until they are 180 to 185°F gives the best texture.
What Wood Pellets Work Best?
I used Hickory pellets for this, and really liked the smoky flavor, but fruit woods like apple, cherry, or a competition blend I think would work well too as all complement the pineapple and ginger without overpowering the chicken.
What to Serve with Huli Huli Chicken
This chicken is delicious served with:
- Foolproof Baked Rice
- Hawaiian macaroni salad
- Grilled pineapple
- Hawaiian rolls
- Grilled vegetables
Make Ahead Instructions
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The Brine: You can brine the chicken for up to 18 hours. This makes it the perfect step to knock out the night before you plan to grill.
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The Glaze: You can also whip up the glaze a day or two in advance. Store it in an airtight container or a mason jar in the refrigerator.
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Note: The glaze may thicken slightly when chilled, or you might notice a little separation. Just give it a good shake or a quick stir before using, and if it seems too thick, a splash of warm water or pineapple juice will bring it right back to the perfect consistency.
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Storage & Reheating
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm gently in a 300°F oven until heated through. If you’re in a hurry, the microwave works just fine too. A splash of leftover glaze brushed over the chicken before reheating helps keep it moist.
Tips for Success
- Brine overnight for the best flavor.
- Pat the chicken dry before grilling. This helps the skin crisp.
- Use several thin coats of glaze instead of one heavy coating.
- Cook dark meat to 180–185°F.
- Grill fresh pineapple while the chicken finishes cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of leg quarters?
Absolutely. Bone-in, skin-on thighs work wonderfully and cook a little faster.
Can I make this in the oven?
Yes, but you won’t get that smoky flavor the grill has to offer. Bake at 350°F until the thighs reach 180–185°F, brushing with glaze during the last 20 to 30 minutes.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cook completely, cool, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Can I use soy sauce instead of Bragg Liquid Aminos?
Yes. Regular soy sauce works well. If using soy sauce, you may want to reduce the kosher salt in the brine slightly since most soy sauces are saltier than Bragg.
Huli Huli Chicken
Equipment
- Pellet Grill
- Large food-safe container or stockpot
- Large saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
- Silicone basting brush
- Tongs
Ingredients
Brine
- 3 quarts 2.8 L cold water
- 3 cups 720 g Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 3 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 Tbsp Morton kosher salt
- 6 cloves garlic minced (about 30 g)
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger about 10 g
Huli Huli Glaze
- 27 oz 765 g pineapple juice
- 6 Tbsp 90 g Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 6 Tbsp 75 g brown sugar
- 4½ Tbsp (80 g) Spicy ketchup
- 6 Tbsp (90 g) rice vinegar
- 8 cloves (40 g)garlic minced
- 5 Tbsp (50 g) fresh grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp 30 g Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tsp (7 g) toasted sesame oil
- (15 g) Juice of ½ lime
10 lbs. chicken leg quarters
Instructions
Brining the Chicken
- Whisk together the water, Bragg Liquid Aminos, kosher salt, garlic, and ginger until the salt dissolves.
- Add the chicken, making sure it is fully submerged.
- Refrigerate for 12–18 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the brine about an hour before cooking.
- Pat dry with paper towels and let the skin air dry while the pellet grill preheats.
Make the Glaze
- Combine everything except the sesame oil and lime juice in a saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. The glaze should still be thin enough to brush onto the chicken.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the toasted sesame oil and fresh lime juice.
- Let cool before using.
Pellet Grill Instructions
- Preheat the pellet grill to 275°F.
- Place the chicken on the grill skin-side up.
- Cook until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 150–155°F, about 60–75 minutes.
- Increase the grill temperature to 350°F.
- As the grill heats, brush the chicken with a thin coat of glaze.
- Turn the chicken after 15 minutes, and apply another thin coat of glaze.
- Continue cooking applying additional glaze as needed until the thighs reach 180–185°F.