Hawaiian Huli ‘Huli Cat’ chicken, pays homage to one of the best fishing boats, the Huli Cat, and Captain Tom Mattusch from Pillar Point, CA.
Huli huli chicken originated in 1955 in Honolulu. Ernest Morgado created a teriyaki-based sauce with a recipe handed down by his mother. My version preserves the sweet and smoky flavors. You’ll never find a marinade this good in a bottle from the store. The chicken tastes like you just cooked it on the grill.
It’s called ‘huli huli’ because huli is the Hawaiian word for “turn” and huli huli chicken is traditionally turned constantly in a grill basket as it is cooked.
It’s best to start this in the morning so the chicken has time to marinate.
You can also cook on an outdoor grill over lump charcoal.
EQUIPMENT: large cast iron skillet, tongs, Thermapen One
Skillet BBQ Hawaiian Huli Huli Cat Chicken
Cuisine: HawaiianDifficulty: Average6
servings6
hours15
minutes20
minutesIngredients
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic from a jar
1/3 cup liquid amino acids*
1/3 cup mirin
1 can 20 oz pineapple slices, juice reserved
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons golden pineapple balsamic vinegar**
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon favorite hot sauce
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
freshly ground black peppercorns
6 chicken thighs
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 green onions, sliced thinly crosswise
Directions
- Heat sesame oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add ginger and garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
- Whisk in tamari sauce, mirin, reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, liquid Smoke, and paprika.
- Season with black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened.
- Set aside all but 1 cup of the marinade and let cool.
- Mix the water and cornstarch together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the basting sauce remaining in skillet, mixing until combined and thickened. Set aside.
- Place the reserved cool marinade into a large Ziploc bag with thighs and marinate in refrigerator for about 4 – 6 hours.
- Heat sesame oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Use tongs to place half of the marinated chicken in the skillet, skin side down, and cook until skin is nicely browned. Baste the chicken with the reserved basting sauce, turn chicken pieces and cook until internal temperature is 160°F as measured on a Thermapen instant read thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
- Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
- Add pineapple slices to skillet. Cook in batches until all are lightly caramelized on both sides.
- Arrange pineapple slices and chicken on plates. Garnish with sliced green onion.
- Serve with Coconut Rice With Mango.
Notes
- *can substitute low sodium tamari sauce
- **white balsamic vinegar.
