My first encounter with real-deal, authentic huli huli chicken happened on one of my first trips back to Hawaii with Chris. As we cruised along the Windward side of Oahu – one of my favorite spots on the island! – we stumbled upon a roadside huli huli chicken stand. A man was flipping racks of chicken over a live fire on the side of the highway, selling the fresh roasted chicken out of his car. The beautiful flames, incredible smoky aromas, & mouth-watering charred-crisp chickens completely drew me in & I’ve been obsessed with huli huli chicken ever since. Since huli huli chicken cravings always follow me back to the mainland, I turned to my mom, who was born & raised on Oahu, for a homemade version. She has many memories of huli huli chicken from her childhood & she taught me that modern day huli huli chicken you find in restaurants in Hawaii today has evolved quite a bit from its pretty humble origins. Check out the blog post, above, to learn more! This particular recipe is a marriage of both of our experiences with huli huli chicken – the preparation & line-up of ingredients is relatively simple, but it really packs a big punch of flavor. Simply soak the chicken in a pineapple brine to ensure juicy & flavorful results, then grill slow & steady with indirect heat to mimic a traditional kiawe wood-fired rotisserie at home. As far as serving goes, we swear by a traditional Hawaiian plate lunch, complete with rice, mac salad, & a generous drizzling of Mom's huli huli sauce (below). We hope you love this recipe just as much as we do – it's really a taste of Hawaii at home! 🌺