Authentic Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

Ingredients for Authentic Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup soy sauce (for brine) + ½ cup soy sauce (for glaze)
• Vegetable Oil
• Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Ginger
• Chicken Halves
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• Brown Sugar
• ½ cup ketchup
• Rice Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce

How to Make Authentic Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken

1. **Brine the Chicken:** In a large bowl, combine 4 cups water and 1 cup soy sauce. Submerge the whole chicken (approx. 3-4 lbs) and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours (longer brining may result in overly salty chicken).
2. **Prepare the Glaze:** In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup pineapple juice, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup ketchup, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. **Simmer the Glaze:** Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the glaze has thickened to a syrupy consistency, stirring occasionally.
4. **Prepare the Chicken:** Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it completely dry with paper towels. This helps achieve crispy skin.
5. **Grill the Chicken:** Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side up on the grill grates. Grill for approximately 20-25 minutes, until nicely browned but not burned. Flip the chicken skin-side down and grill for another 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
6. **Glaze and Rest:** Transfer the chicken to a platter. Brush generously with half of the glaze. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Brush with remaining glaze before serving.