Huli Huli Chicken Meatballs
Sweet, sticky, and packed with island flavor, these Huli Huli Chicken Meatballs bring that classic Hawaiian pineapple-soy glaze into juicy, caramelized bites. One taste and you’ll be turning back for seconds — just like the name promises.
Huli Huli Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- salt & pepper to taste
For the Huli Huli Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup tomatoe ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a bowl combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, and season to taste salt and pepper.
- Take little scoops of the meat mixture and roll it in your hands to form a ball.
- Place your meatballs on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 22 mins.
For the Huli Huli Sauce
- In a medium bow combine all of the sauce ingredients well
- Set aside about 1/2 of the sauce to glaze the meatballs during the cooking process
- Use the remaining sauce to coat the meatballs once they are out of the oven, or use it for a dipping sauce or drizzle over the served dish.
Huli Huli Chicken has its roots in 1950s Hawaii, where businessman Ernest Morgado popularized the dish by grilling teriyaki-marinated chicken over open flames for fundraisers. The name “huli” means “turn” in Hawaiian, referencing the way the chicken was flipped repeatedly over the grill. Traditionally, the marinade features soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and pineapple juice — a bold balance of salty, sweet, and tangy that caramelizes beautifully over fire. It became a roadside and fundraising staple across the islands, known for its smoky aroma and lacquered finish.
So why does Huli Huli make such a great meatball? First, the flavor profile is tailor-made for ground chicken. The savory soy, bright pineapple, and aromatic ginger soak right into the mixture, ensuring every bite is evenly seasoned. Instead of relying only on surface marinade like grilled thighs or drumsticks, the meatball version locks that sweet-and-savory magic inside. That means maximum flavor density — no waiting for the glaze to do all the heavy lifting.
Second, meatballs create more caramelized surface area, which is basically a flavor jackpot. When baked or pan-seared, Huli Huli Chicken Meatballs develop golden edges that grab onto the sticky glaze like it’s their full-time job. Brush them with extra sauce during the final minutes of cooking, and you’ll get that signature glossy coating reminiscent of traditional grilled Huli Huli chicken — minus the need to fire up a rotisserie setup in your backyard.
From an SEO standpoint, this recipe checks all the craveable boxes: Hawaiian chicken meatballs, Huli Huli sauce recipe, pineapple glazed chicken meatballs, easy tropical appetizer, and healthy ground chicken dinner ideas. They work as a weeknight dinner over jasmine rice, as a meal prep protein for grain bowls, or as a crowd-pleasing party appetizer with toothpicks and extra glaze for dipping. They’re lighter than beef meatballs but still deeply satisfying, which makes them a great option when you want bold flavor without heavy richness.
At the end of the day, Huli Huli Chicken Meatballs are a celebration of island flavor in a fun, modern format. They honor the sweet-and-smoky roots of classic Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken while giving you a versatile, family-friendly dish that fits everything from backyard BBQs to cozy kitchen dinners. One bite and you’ll understand why “huli” means turn — because you’ll absolutely be turning back for seconds.
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