Smoked Huli Huli Chicken

5 from 12 votes

Enjoy the flavors of Hawaii with this Smoked Huli Huli Chicken recipe! Marinated in a delicious blend of soy sauce, pineapple juice, and ginger, these chicken thighs are smoked on a pellet grill until they're tender and juicy with a caramelized glaze.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1 30

Marinating Time4

Total Time5 35

Course: All Recipes, Main Course

Cuisine: Hawaiian

Servings: servings

Calories: 483kcal

Author: Jeri Walker

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

¾ cup soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup ketchup
1 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
4 cloves fresh garlic minced

For the Chicken:

2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
sesame seeds for garnish optional
fresh parsley, chives, or green onion for garnish optional

For the Slurry:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions

Prepare the Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, pineapple juice, ginger, and garlic. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish. Pour 1½ cups of the marinade over the chicken, reserving the remaining for basting. Seal the bag or cover the dish, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat: Preheat your smoker to 250°F and add wood pellets if needed. I used cherry wood pellets.
Smoke the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Discard the used marinade. Arrange the chicken thighs on the smoker grates, skin side up. Smoke chicken for 1½ to 2 hours, flipping and basting with the reserved marinade every 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 175°F.
Thicken the Reserved Marinade: While the chicken is smoking, take the remaining ½ cup of the reserved marinade and bring it to a simmer in a small saucepan. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Gradually add the slurry to the simmering marinade, whisking constantly until thickened. This will be your serving sauce. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
Garnish and Serve: Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavorful it will be.
Place the bag of marinating chicken in a baking dish to catch any drips.
Cook by temperature, not by time as all pellet grills and smokers cook differently.

Nutrition