Huli Huli Chicken Rice Bowl at Home

Huli Huli Chicken is a flavor explosion for your tastebuds.

It’s also the first recipe I made the moment the weather started warming up. I first had this years ago in Florida and remember that it was sweet, spicy and deliciously sticky. Of course I was at a resort and they were slowly grilling/roasting whole chickens on a spit. Although our grill has a spit, I wasn’t too keen on using whole chickens. So I did a little internet searching and compared lots of different variations. I started testing this dish by using boneless skinless chicken breasts and then thighs. Obviously thighs won. I also cut back on the sugar and significantly reduce some of the higher calorie ingredients. My goal was to lower the calories without sacrificing flavor.

Since Huli actually means “turn”, this method is a nod to the original, yet making it more family friendly and reliable for any night of the week. Cooking the chicken on a outdoor grill, turning and basting with the sauce is key to this magical recipe.

To Make Huli Huli Chicken Rice Bowls Gather:

for the marinade

• ketchup (I use unsweetened)
• low-sodium tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
• rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• worcestershire – from-scratch or store-bought
• sriracha
• toasted sesame oil
• brown sugar
• grated fresh ginger
• grated fresh ginger

for serving

• cooked jasmine rice
• 10-minute roasted broccoli
• pineapple salsa
• toasted sesame seeds
• green onions
• sriracha

Start by preparing the marinade.

In a large liquid measuring cup, measure and add in 1/3 ketchup, 1/4 cup low sodium tamari or soy sauce, 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon sriracha and 1-1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil. Lastly add in 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons each grated fresh ginger and garlic. For this I like to use a short cut and use the pre-grated tubes you can find in the produce section.

Whisk well to combine.

Place 1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs to a re-sealable bag or bowl.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade and set off to the side. You’ll use this to baste the chicken after it’s grilled.

Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken.

Squeeze the bag to coat the chicken, press out any air and seal. If using a bowl cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. If in a pinch, 45 minutes to an hour will suffice.

Once the chicken has marinated, remove while you preheat your outdoor grill to 500℉ (or 260℃).

When the grill is hot, dip paper towel or an old kitchen towel in a shallow dish of extra light olive oil. Brush the grates with the oil soaked towel, be careful of any flair-ups.

Use tongs to remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and place on the oiled grill grates. Close the lid and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the temp as needed to avoid burning.

Use sturdy tongs to genuinely get under the thighs (as even though the grates were oiled, this chicken likes to stick) to turn. Cover, and continue grilling for 3 to 4 minutes or until fully cooked.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, brush with reserved marinade from earlier.

Remove off the grill and let rest before slicing.

Divide cooked jasmine rice among bowls, top with sliced Huli Huli chicken, spoonfuls or remaining marinade/glaze and pineapple salsa. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions and serve with my go-to side, 10-minute roasted broccoli.

Enjoy! And if you give this Huli Huli Chicken Rice Bowl recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!