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The Complete Guide to Sugar Alternatives: Everything You Need to Know →Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken with Jaca
A backyard-style Hawaiian classic — juicy, smoky chicken thighs marinated and basted in a sticky island glaze of pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and Jaca (allulose). The brown sugar in the original marinade is swapped for Jaca at double the amount, so you still get that deeply caramelized, glossy finish without the conventional sugar. Adapted from RecipeTin Eats. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 thighs; boneless thighs or breasts also work)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for the grill or skillet)
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice (canned or bottled — NOT fresh (bromelain in fresh pineapple turns the chicken mushy))
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
- 1/2 cup Jaca (allulose) (replaces 1/4 cup brown sugar at 2x ratio)
- 1/4 cup sherry or Chinese cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional, for a gentle kick)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic, finely grated
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions (for garnish)
- 1 small can grilled pineapple slices (optional, for serving)
Sweetener Used
1/2 cup Jaca (allulose) in marinade Allulose
Replaces: 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, Jaca, sherry, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, ginger, and garlic until the Jaca is fully dissolved and the marinade is smooth.
- 2
Pour 3/4 cup of the marinade into a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate — this is your basting sauce. Do not let raw chicken touch it.
- 3
Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over the top. Seal, turn to coat, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, ideally 24 to 48 hours, turning once or twice along the way.
- 4
When ready to cook, heat a grill, cast iron skillet, or grill pan to medium-high and brush lightly with vegetable oil. Lift the chicken out of the marinade and let the excess drip off; discard the used marinade.
- 5
Place the chicken skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and cook another 2 minutes.
- 6
Brush generously with the reserved basting sauce, flip, and cook 1 minute. Brush the other side and flip again. Continue basting and flipping roughly every minute for a total of about 10 minutes of cooking, building up a glossy, lacquered glaze.
- 7
Cook until the internal temperature reaches 167°F in the thickest part of the thigh (or 150°F if using breast). The Jaca caramelizes faster than brown sugar, so move the chicken to a cooler spot on the grill if the glaze starts to char too quickly.
- 8
Transfer to a platter and rest for 3 minutes. Shower with sliced green onions and serve with grilled pineapple slices and steamed rice.
Pro Tips
- Use canned or bottled pineapple juice only. Fresh pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down the chicken into a mushy texture during long marinades.
- Marinate for at least 24 hours if you can — the Jaca and soy sauce need time to penetrate and the flavor difference is dramatic.
- Reserve the basting sauce BEFORE the chicken touches the marinade. Brushing chicken with marinade that has touched raw poultry is a food safety issue unless you boil it first.
- Jaca caramelizes faster than brown sugar. Watch the glaze closely in the last 2-3 minutes and pull the chicken to a lower-heat zone if it starts to scorch.
- No grill? A cast iron skillet on the stovetop works beautifully — finish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes for that classic charred edge.
- Leftover Huli Huli chicken is incredible chopped over rice bowls or stuffed into Hawaiian rolls the next day.