Huli Huli Chicken
Cooking books: between the two of us, our supply of cookbooks is seemingly endless. It’s always fun to dig into them when we need a little refresh and inspiration.
A couple of weeks back during Memorial Day weekend, Audrey had an itch to grill something new. In a case of shameless self promotion, I suggested looking through “Eat Street,”, which is the second book I co-wrote. She landed on this Huli Huli Chicken recipe by the ever-entertaining culinary magician, John Caruthers.
This “tangy, fragrant char-grilled chicken” is excellent as is, but we switched out the whole chicken for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It was the perfect breakaway from the go-to grilling classics and packed a huge flavor punch.
Audrey also took a stab at some other recipes she thought would go well with the Hawaiian-inspired meat: sticky pineapple rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad.
-Jesse
The Recipe:
Ingredients
1/2 cup tamari soy sauce, plus 1/2 cup
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons yellow mustard, plus two tablespoons
1 tablespoon sesame oil
6 thin slices of ginger root
1 cup crushed pineapple and juices
3 lbs boneless chicken thighs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Cooking
Mix 1/2 cup soy sauce, white wine, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, sesame oil, ginger root, and crushed pineapple.
Pour the marinade over a snug, nonreactive container. Let marinade for 2-4 hours, turning frequently.
Get your grill or broiler started and set to medium heat. If grilling, make sure your grates are oiled with a high heat oil.
Strain the pineapple from the marinade, reserve, and discard the marinade.
Start your sauce by mixing the remaining 1/2 cup soy sauce, ketchup, honey, lemon juice, and reserved pineapple. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer while your grill heats up. Stir frequently and reduce for 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.
Grill the chicken for 10 minutes, turning frequently, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 150°F.
As the chicken reaches temperature, brush the top with the sauce and let cook for 90 seconds, until seared but not charred. Turn off the heat from your grill or broiler.
Flip the pieces, brush the other side with the sauce and let cook 30-45 more seconds. Remove and serve on a platter to serve with your favorite sides.
