Huli Huli Chicken

 

A. Weaver || August 28, 2022

Huli Huli Chicken has to be one of my favorite dishes that is so unique to Hawaiʻi. When I lived on the island of Maui, it was normal to see uncles and aunties to motorcycle clubs sale these delicious birds on the side of the road. 


The term "Huli" means "turn" in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language). This term is used in reference to the rotating grills that are used to cook this local style rotisserie chicken. As the story goes, Huli Huli Chicken was created in 1955 by an enterprising poultry farmer named Ernest Morgad (Simeon 2021). From its first introduction in the 50s till today, it has become a local staple and is often sold at football games and stands peppered along the highway.

The recipe and cooking method for Huli Huli Chicken varies, however, most tend to use a teriyaki base with the addition of pineapple juice or ketchup to add a slight acidic, tanginess. Cooking Huli Huli varies as well. The chicken can be found either sandwiched in-between chicken wire and rebar, placed on spits, or laid spatchcocked upon grates. However the cooking method is, the chicken is always grilled over a huge hibachi pit filled with kiawe wood. For miles, one could smell the ginger, garlic, and shoyu (soy sauce) as billows of kiawe (mesquite) smoke filled the air.

Since moving back to California, I find myself making this dish a lot more. However, instead of taking the traditional route, I make a thick marinade using familiar Huli flavors.

Huli Huli Chicken

Recipe makes 4 to 6 servings. Total time 9 hours (Prep: 8 hours/ Cook: 1 hour). 

Special Cookware: Grill

Ingredients 

  • 4-5 lbs chicken leg quarters
  • 8 oz canned pineapple
  • 6-8 cloves garlic cloves
  • 6 green scallions
  • 4 oz ginger (peeled)
  • 3 oz light shoyu (soy sauce)
  • 3 tbs light brown sugar
  • 2 tbs sesame oil
  • 2 tbs oyster sauce
  • 1 bottle Teriyaki sauce 
  • 1 tbs garlic power
  • 1/2 onion

Directions

  1. To a blinder, add canned pineapple, garlic, scallions, ginger, shoyu, light brown sugar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and garlic powder. Blend until fully incorporated and smooth.
  2. Place raw chicken in an air tight bag. Fill the bag with the marinade mixture. Place in the fridge and let marinate for at least 6-8 hours. For best results, marinate overnight.
  3. An hour before you're ready to grill, remove  the chicken from the fridge and let stand to room temperature. 
  4. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Using tongs, place the flesh side of the onion on the grill. Rub the onion back and forth until the entire grill has been seasoned. (This creates a nonstick barrier).
  5. Set up the grill for two-zone cooking: If using coals, push them to one side of the grill, creating a hot zone (direct heat) and cool zone (indirect heat). If using a gas grill, reduce the heat to low on one side of the grill.
  6. Place the chicken on the hot (direct) heat with the skin side up. Cover and grill for 10 minutes. Uncover and flip the chicken, skin side down, to the cooler side (indirect heat). Cover and grill for 20 minutes (this is to insure that the chicken is cooked completely).
  7. Uncover the chicken and move to the hot side with the skin facing up. Brush the chicken with Teriyaki sauce every 5 minutes for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken over, skin side down. Brush the chicken with Teriyaki sauce every 5 minutes for the remaining 15 minutes.
  8. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 15 minutes.
Serve with two scoops of rice and garnish with chopped scallion greens.

Hūlō
A. Weaver
Photos by A. Weaver





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