Baked Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

Baked Huli Huli Chicken is one of those dishes that fills your kitchen with the smell of sweet pineapple, savory soy sauce, and roasted chicken all at once, making everyone suddenly “wander” into the kitchen to ask when dinner is ready. 🍍🍗

Traditionally, Huli Huli Chicken is a Hawaiian-style dish that’s grilled and basted over and over with a sweet, tangy, umami-rich sauce. The word “huli” means “turn” in Hawaiian, referring to the turning of the chicken on the grill as it’s basted again and again. In this baked version, you’re capturing all that classic flavor—pineapple, ginger, garlic, soy, and brown sugar—without needing a grill or any special equipment.

Instead, everything happens in a cozy baking dish in your oven. The sauce reduces into a glossy, sticky glaze that clings to the juicy chicken thighs, and by the end you’re left with deeply caramelized pieces of chicken in a pan of golden, sweet-savory sauce that’s just begging to be spooned over rice. 😋

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Why This Baked Huli Huli Chicken Works So Well

This recipe hits all the flavor points that make Huli Huli Chicken so beloved:

• Sweet from pineapple juice and brown sugar
• Savory and salty from soy sauce and chicken broth
• Tangy and bright from the pineapple and ketchup
• Warm and aromatic from ginger and garlic
• Nutty depth from sesame oil

Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs makes a big difference, too. Thigh meat stays juicy even during longer cooking times, and the skin helps lock in flavor and moisture as it bakes, while also crisping and caramelizing under the glaze.

The sauce itself is cooked and slightly thickened before it even hits the chicken, which means:

• It clings better to the chicken
• It caramelizes beautifully in the oven
• It turns into a glossy, spoonable sauce instead of being watery

By the time this comes out of the oven, you’ve got chicken that looks like it belongs on a restaurant plate—deep golden, sticky, and glistening with sauce.

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Ingredient Breakdown 🍍🥢

Let’s walk through what each ingredient does in this recipe and why it matters.

Chicken

• 3 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on

Chicken thighs are ideal here:

• They handle longer cooking without drying out
• The bones add flavor
• The skin crisps and caramelizes under the sauce

You can trim excess skin or fat if you prefer, but leaving some on helps develop that gorgeous roasted texture and flavor.

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The Huli Huli Style Sauce

This sauce is the heart of the recipe—a beautiful balance of sweet, salty, fruity, and aromatic.

• 1 cup pineapple juice
  Brings natural sweetness, tropical flavor, and a touch of acidity. Pineapple is a signature Huli Huli ingredient and helps create that sticky, glossy finish. 🍍
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
  Adds saltiness and deep umami. It balances the sugar and keeps the dish from tasting too sweet.
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  Brown sugar brings sweetness plus a gentle molasses note. It helps with caramelization in the oven, contributing to that beautiful color and slightly sticky texture.
• 1/3 cup ketchup
  Adds mild tang, a bit of sweetness, and body. It also contributes to the color of the sauce and helps it cling to the chicken.
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
  Rounds out the sauce and enhances the savory backbone, making sure the dish doesn’t lean too sweet.
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
  Ginger brings warmth, freshness, and a little bit of zing. It cuts through the sweetness and makes the flavor feel bright and alive.
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  Garlic adds aromatic depth and savory richness. Ginger and garlic together are a classic combo that really lifts the sauce.
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  Nutty, toasty, and full of personality, sesame oil gives the sauce a lovely finish. A little goes a long way.

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Thickening and Finishing

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

These two form a slurry, which gently thickens the sauce as it simmers. A thicker sauce clings more to the chicken, and in the oven it reduces further into that dreamy, glossy glaze.

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Optional Garnishes

• Fresh pineapple slices, for garnish (optional)
• Green onions, sliced for garnish (optional)
• Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

These don’t change the core recipe but make it look and taste even better:

• Pineapple slices emphasize the tropical vibe and can caramelize slightly if warmed.
• Green onions add freshness and color. 🌱
• Sesame seeds bring a light nutty crunch and visual appeal.

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Step-by-Step: How to Make Baked Huli Huli Chicken

1. Prep the Oven and Chicken

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer in a large baking dish.

Start by preheating the oven so it’s ready to go once your sauce is done.

Place the bone-in, skin-on thighs in a large baking dish in a single layer. This ensures:

• Even cooking
• Enough exposed surface area for the sauce to caramelize
• Each piece gets nicely glazed

If there’s moisture on the chicken skin, you can pat it dry with paper towels; this helps it brown better.

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2. Make the Sauce Base

In a saucepan, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a low boil.

In a medium saucepan, add:

• Pineapple juice
• Soy sauce
• Brown sugar (packed)
• Ketchup
• Chicken broth
• Grated fresh ginger
• Minced garlic
• Sesame oil

Stir everything together and set the pan over medium heat. Slowly bring it to a low boil—you should see gentle bubbling around the edges.

As it heats, the sugar dissolves and the flavors blend into a fragrant, slightly sweet, savory sauce. The aroma alone is amazing. 🤤

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3. Simmer and Reduce Slightly

Allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.

Once it reaches that gentle boil, reduce to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then.

During this time:

• Some liquid evaporates, concentrating the flavors
• The sauce starts to naturally thicken a bit
• Ginger and garlic soften and infuse into the liquid

You don’t want it too thick yet—just slightly reduced and flavorful.

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4. Thicken with Cornstarch Slurry

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Gradually stir this into the simmering sauce until it thickens.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. This is your slurry—no lumps.

With the sauce gently simmering, slowly pour in the slurry while stirring constantly.

Within a minute or two, you’ll notice the sauce:

• Becoming thicker and glossier
• Coating the back of a spoon instead of running right off

You’re aiming for a pourable but slightly thick consistency, almost like a light glaze. If it gets too thick, you can add a small splash of water or broth to loosen it slightly.

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5. Coat the Chicken

Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated.

Carefully pour the hot, thickened sauce over the chicken thighs in the baking dish. Use a spoon or spatula to move the thighs slightly so sauce can flow underneath and around them.

Every piece should be generously coated—the more contact with sauce, the more flavor and caramelization you’ll get.

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6. Bake Until Caramelized and Tender

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the sauce caramelizes beautifully. Baste the chicken with the sauce halfway through cooking.

Place the baking dish into the 375°F (190°C) oven.

You’ll bake for 45–60 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. The key signs it’s done:

• The chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)
• The sauce around the chicken is bubbling and thickened
• The top of the chicken looks deeply glazed and caramelized

About halfway through baking, carefully spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the dish over the chicken (basting). This deepens the flavor and gives you an even more stunning glaze.

📝 Optional tip: For extra caramelization, you can switch on the broiler for the last 2–3 minutes—just keep a close eye on it so the sugar in the sauce doesn’t burn.

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7. Rest and Garnish

Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after baking before garnishing with pineapple slices, green onions, and sesame seeds if desired.

Once the chicken is done, remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for about 5–10 minutes. This helps the juices settle and makes it easier to serve.

Then garnish as desired:

• Arrange fresh pineapple slices around or on top for a tropical touch. 🍍
• Sprinkle sliced green onions for color and freshness.
• Finish with a scattering of sesame seeds for a lovely visual and nutty crunch.

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Serving Suggestions 🍚

Baked Huli Huli Chicken is incredibly flavorful, so it pairs beautifully with simple sides that soak up the sauce:

• Steamed white rice or jasmine rice to catch all that extra glaze
• Coconut rice for even more tropical flair
• Grilled or roasted vegetables (like broccoli, green beans, or carrots)
• A light green salad with a citrusy dressing
• Hawaiian-style rolls or simple dinner rolls to mop the plate

Spoon extra sauce from the baking dish over the chicken and rice—it’s too good to waste.

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Leftovers and Storage

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers:

• Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
• Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until warmed through.

The flavors often deepen by the next day, making this an excellent make-ahead or meal-prep option.

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