Huli Huli Chicken

By carvalhohm

Just about anywhere you go on any of the Islands you will find Huli Huli Chicken. This is the ultimate Hawaiian BBQ chicken recipe and one of the all-time favorite Hawaiian recipes.

Ingredients

• HULU HULI MARINADE & GLAZE:
• 2 whole chickens or 4 half chickens
• 1/2 cup mango nectar
• 1/2 cup orange or pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup shoyu or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha chile sauce, optional
• 1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
• 3 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground

Preparation

Step 1

Drain the marinade from your chickens. Do not throw it out; reserve the marinade for making your glaze for the chickens. Place your marinade in a non-reactive or non-stick sauté pan and bring to a simmer. Cook it over low heat until it reduces by 25 to 30 percent. Take a spoon and coat the back of the spoon with sauce, if you run your finger through the sauce and it does not run and cover the line you just made it is ready. If it is too thick ad a little water. Test it the same way. Since this sauce/glaze has both fruit and honey keep the heat low when reducing it. Turn off the heat and reserve for glazing the chicken.

Prepare a two-zone fire one side for direct heat, the other for indirect cooking. If cooking on charcoal I like to use mesquite or Kiawe for this recipe or at least some mesquite chips on the fire to add some of that flavor.

Clean your grills nicely and place the chicken on the in direct side of the grill. I like to do the backside first to in case any flare ups occur on the hotter time of the grill. Cook for five to ten minute per side over the indirect heat. This is a good time to use the wood chips if you are opting to do so.

By now your coals should be a bit cooler and it is time to put some nice grill marks on your chickens. Keeping an eye on them to prevent flare-ups from burning your birds “al Carbon”. If you are using a kettle style BBQ you can just spin the side of the grill over the coals.

Once your grill marks are on, now move your bird back to the indirect side of the grill. Using your simmered and reduce marinade which is now a nice glaze, paint your chickens with the glaze. Cover and let it cook on for a while. Repeat as necessary or desired.

Using a thermometer check the temperature of the chickens at the thickest part of the thigh and leg or thickest part of the breast. When it is at 165°F pull it off the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting.