It is summer time and I love using my grill. I also love date nights. My husband and I recently had a Lilo and Stitch date night. To go with the movie we had a Hawaiian themed dinner, Lilo’s snack mix, and Homemade Dole Whips. I found this Grilled Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken and knew it would be perfect for the dinner.

Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

Huli Huli is a style of chicken preparation done by rotating or flipping the chicken over an open flame.

This recipe calls for boneless/skinless chicken thighs. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but it may come out drier and not as good. The original recipe is double this size, so I cut the recipe in half and made some variations.

I made one mistake as I didn’t pre-soak the skewer sticks in water and the sticks kind of burned as you can see. If you soak the skewers for about 20 minutes before grilling they won’t burn.

Tips for Grilling Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

Marinate at least 30 minutes. Marinating chicken for at least 30 minutes not only lets seasonings work their magic, but can also help lean pieces stay juicy once they hit the flame. This recipe for calls for a longer marinade but 30 minutes is the least amount of time you should marinate the meat in.
Marinate in the Refrigerator. Always marinate the meat in the refrigerator. If you choose to save some of the marinade as a basting or dipping sauce, set aside a portion for later before adding it to the raw food.
Grease Your Grill. Chances are you won’t have a sticking problem if your chicken has skin, or if it’s marinated or rubbed with some oil — but play it safe. Before you light the grill, spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray or brush it with oil.
Don’t Overcook. Chicken thighs are a great option for everyone as they are much more forgiving if slightly overcooked.
Don’t Grill on HIgh Heat/Flame. Unlike a steak, which requires high heat to sear on a grill, chicken will burn on the outside while not fully cooking on the inside if the heat is too high. It will cook more evenly and thoroughly at a lower temperature.
Clean Your Grill Immediately Once Done. Scrape your grill rack after each use; otherwise, the chicken will pick up charred bits from your last barbecue. Chicken has a tendency to stick to a dirty grill.

What to Serve with Huli Huli Chicken

Yakisoba Noodles. I served this chicken with Yakisoba Noodles (you know the cheap ones for under $1) made with a sauce similar to the sauce they serve at Ohana’s with the lo-mien noodles. So the side is pretty frugal.
Hawaiian Bubble Bread. This is a nice sweet bread with coconut, pineapple, and cherries.

Yield: 6

Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

Name: Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 1/3 cup ketchup; 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce; 1/3 cup pineapple juice; 1/8 cup chicken broth; 1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root paste; 3/4 teaspoons minced garlic; 2 1/2 LBS skinless boneless chicken thighs

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/8 cup chicken broth
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root paste
3/4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 LBS skinless boneless chicken thighs

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix the first six ingredients. Reserve about 1/3 of it for basting, cover and store in the fridge.
Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces.
Layer pineapple piece, red pepper, and chicken onto a skewer.
Place skewers in a 9x13 pan, pour marinade over chicken,
Marinate for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain and discard marinade.
Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and use long handled tongs to coat the grill rack if your grill is not properly seasoned.
Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until no longer pink; baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 398Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 231mgSodium 982mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 0gSugar 19gProtein 47g

If you are looking for a grownup drink to accompany this, check out my POG Juice Mimosa recipe (aka known as grown-up Stitch Juice).

Lilo and Stitch and Stitch! The Movie is both on Netflix right now. You can also stream Lilo & Stitch from Amazon for just $3.99.

Recipe inspiration from Taste of Home.