Huli Huli Chicken

Keto Huli Huli Chicken Recipe

I keep all the ingredients for this marinade in my pantry because my family requests it that often. You need boneless, skinless chicken thighs, golden monkfruit sweetener (or another brown sugar replacement), unsweetened ketchup, apple cider vinegar, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, and soy sauce or liquid aminos. The marinade comes together in about 2 minutes, and the rest is just patience. The longer you marinate, the more flavor you get. I go overnight whenever I can.

To keep this low carb, I skip pineapple juice entirely. The sugar content is too high, and the marinade does not need it. I use golden monkfruit or brown erythritol in place of brown sugar, which keeps this recipe under 3g net carbs per serving.

Where This Recipe Comes From

I love knowing the history behind the recipes I make. This dish was invented by Ernest Morgado in 1955 in Hawaii. He grilled chicken on a makeshift spit roaster, and people would shout “huli” when it was time to flip, because “huli” means “to turn” in Hawaiian. Morgado cooked his famous recipe at fundraisers across Hawaii and raised millions of dollars for churches and schools. I think about that every time I flip my chicken on the grill. My version is a lot simpler than a spit roaster, but the spirit is the same.

Making the Sauce Without Sugar

I have made this without any added sugar and not lost a bit of flavor. My go-to sweetener is golden monkfruit, which I tested side by side against brown erythritol and allulose on the grill. Golden monkfruit caramelizes the best by a clear margin. For ketchup, I use Primal Kitchen unsweetened ketchup, which cuts out all the added sugars in regular brands. Most traditional recipes include sherry or mirin in the marinade, but I skip both since they leave behind sugars that add up. I use soy sauce in my version, but if you avoid gluten, tamari works perfectly. You can even use liquid aminos to bring the carb count down further (liquid aminos runs slightly sweeter on its own, so I pull the sweetener back by about a tablespoon to compensate). If you enjoy island-inspired proteins, my poke bowl takes a completely different approach.

Oven, Air Fryer, and Broiler Options

I prefer grilling because the open flame gives you that charred, caramelized crust. But I have made this in the oven, air fryer, and under the broiler plenty of times, and it still turns out great. For oven baking, I preheat to 400 degrees and cook for about 20 minutes, basting halfway through. In the air fryer, I set it to 360 degrees and cook for 12-15 minutes. For the best indoor char, I finish under the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes after the oven or air fryer step. The key either way is basting with the reserved marinade so you build up those layers of sticky glaze. Cast iron works too (Jennifer, one of my readers, confirmed this), but the pan has to be screaming hot before the chicken goes on or the glaze just steams and you lose that char. If you want another high-heat chicken recipe, my chicken stir fry uses the same principle.

Meal Prep and Storage

I meal prep this almost every week during grilling season. Make the marinade ahead and store it in the fridge for up to a week. I usually marinate overnight (at least 4-6 hours for the best flavor), and sometimes I freeze the chicken right in the marinade so it absorbs flavor as it thaws. Grilled chicken stores in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheats well at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. I keep a batch alongside my sheet pan chicken and veggies so I have protein ready all week. You can also freeze the cooked chicken for up to 3 months. If you are looking for more grilling ideas, my chicken caprese kebabs are another batch-friendly option.