This grilled Huli Huli turkey breast recipe is so rich in flavor! Inspired by the Hawaiian Huli Huli chicken, this grilled turkey recipe is made with a sweet and tangy Huli Huli sauce. It’s a unique turkey recipe perfect for summertime BBQs and holidays alike!
Homemade Huli Huli Turkey Breast Recipe
This grilled Huli Huli turkey recipe is a unique and flavorful favorite! It’s moist, delicious, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.
Turkey breast is covered in Huli Huli sauce, grilled to perfection, and served with a sweet and spicy pineapple salsa. Make it for a summer BBQ, or for the holidays!
Why You’ll Love this Grilled Turkey Breast Recipe:
- FLAVORFUL: You can’t beat the rich flavor of this huli huli turkey. It’s sweet, it’s tangy, and it absolutely tasty.
- UNIQUE: If you’re looking for a unique turkey recipe, this is it! Take a break from the recipe you make very year, and try this one instead.
- ANY OCCASION: I love making this in the summer for grilling season, but it works just as well on holidays. No matter when you serve it, everyone will love it!
This grilled turkey breast recipe is inspired by Hawaiian Huli Huli chicken!
What does huli huli mean?
Huli is a Hawaiian word that basically means to turn around, rotate, flip, or reverse. This is applied to a traditional Hawaiian dish called Huli Huli chicken, which is a barbeque-style chicken that is cooked and covered in Huli Huli sauce. The chicken is turned over and flipped on the grill many times during the cooking process, so it’s a fitting name.
We’re taking the rich, delicious flavor of Huli Huli chicken and using it to make this grilled turkey breast recipe.
Ingredients
Between the dry rub, sauce, and accompanying salsa, this is an ingredient-heavy recipe. It’s well worth it though for the incredible flavor. Here’s a quick look at the main components of this Huli Huli turkey recipe, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list.
- Turkey: Use a fresh, 5-6 pound turkey breast for this recipe. If you use frozen turkey breast, be sure to fully defrost it ahead of time.
- Brine: The brine is made with pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, and other ingredients to complement the flavor of Huli Huli sauce.
- Dry Rub: The dry rub is a mixture of garlic powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, and a few other spices.
- Huli Huli Sauce: The sauce is the star of this recipe! It’s basically a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, made with pineapple, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and more.
- Pineapple Salsa: The salsa is made with grilled pineapple, red onions, jalapenos, and a few other things. It’s the perfect thing to serve on top of the huli huli turkey.
How to Make Grilled Huli Huli Turkey Breast
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine ingredients to make the brine. Then marinate the turkey breast in the brine, refrigerated, for 2-18 hours.
- Make the dry rub. Then make the huli huli sauce. Both should be ready to use before cooking the turkey.
- Grill the pineapple, then make the pineapple salsa and refrigerate it.
- Grill the turkey breast, coat with huli huli sauce, and serve with pineapple salsa.
Yes! We adapted the traditional Huli Huli chicken dish here to make grilled turkey. But of course you can replace it with chicken if you prefer.
You can certainly use a store-bought sauce if you don’t want to make this homemade version.
This is a medium-heat, slow grilling process, so it will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to fully cook. But this helps stop it from drying out, and infuses ultimate flavor.
The sauce is basically a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. It has a great balance of sweetness, acidity, and heat. The pineapple and ginger come through nicely but aren’t overwhelming.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious BBQ grilled turkey breast deserves a few delicious side dishes to go along with it. It goes great with rice and veggies of all kinds, but here’s what I like to serve with it.
Or try adding some grilled fruit or your favorite BBQ sides to the plate.
All the Tips and Tricks
How to Cook Thanksgiving Turkey!
EVERYTHING you need to know for Thanksgiving entertaining.
Can I make this grilled turkey recipe ahead of time?
The list of ingredients and number of steps in the recipe might seem overwhelming. But luckily you can make and/or prep everything ahead of time! Whether you’re making this grilled Huli Huli turkey for a summer BBQ, Thanksgiving, or any other occasion, a little bit of prep will make the whole process easier.
- Huli Huli Sauce: You can make this up to 4 days ahead of time, and refrigerate it until you need it.
- Pineapple Salsa: Make this the day before and keep it refrigerated.
- Dry Rub: This is just a mix of dried spices and seasonings, so you can make this well ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Brine: You can make this 4 days before, keeping it in the refrigerator.
- Turkey: You can grill the turkey breast and refrigerate it up to 2 days. It reheats well when you’re ready to serve.
Tips!
- This recipe calls for a 5-6 pound turkey breast, and will serve up to 6 people.
- Make sure the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 160F before serving.
- You can brine the turkey for as few as 2 hours, or up to 18 hours. The longer it marinates in the brine, the better it will prime the meat for ultimate flavor.
- You’ll need to flip the turkey about every 15 minutes, so stay close to the grill. In the last 20 minutes, up it to every 5 minutes.
- This huli huli turkey recipe can be made ahead of time, and simply reheated when ready to serve. Check the section above, or the notes in the recipe card, for instructions.
Try ALL the Sides
60+ Holiday Side Dishes
This Thanksgiving we hope you enjoy as many sides as possible with this Roast Turkey Breast!
This grilled Huli Huli turkey breast recipe is a flavorful favorite, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
More Turkey Breast Recipes We Love
- Juicy Smoked Turkey Breast
- Deep Fried Turkey Breast
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Garlic Butter Roast Turkey Breast
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Grilled Huli Huli Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
For the Turkey
- 1 5-6 pound fresh turkey breast
- Fresh chopped cilantro optional garnish
For the Brine
- 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger peeled & grated or 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups ice
For the Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Huli Huli Sauce
- 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mild molasses
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled & grated or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Juice of 1-2 lemons
- Extra lemon and/or lime juice to use while grilling the breasts
For the Grilled Pineapple Salsa
- 1 fresh pineapple peeled, cored, cut into ¼-inch slices; divided
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 1 medium jalapeños 1-2 peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 inch piece ginger peeled and grated
- Zest & juice from 1 lime
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
For the Turkey & Brine
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Pat the turkey dry with paper towels; set aside.1 5-6 pound fresh turkey breast
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Combine all of the brine ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat just until the salt & sugar dissolve.1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup kosher salt, ½ cup dark brown sugar, 4 cloves garlic, 1 inch piece fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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Remove from the heat, add ice, and stir until the ice melts and the brine is cool enough to touch.2 cups ice
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Once cooled, pour the brine into a gallon-sized, zip-top plastic bag. Place the turkey in the bag with the brine. Squeeze out the air and zip the bag closed. Place the bagged turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or dish and place it in the refrigerator, turning periodically during the marinating time. The turkey can marinate for as few as 2 hours or up to 18 hours.
For the Dry Rub
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Whisk all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl; set aside.2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika, 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1½ teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Keep in an airtight jar for up to 2 months until ready to use.
For the Huli Huli Sauce
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In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients except the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest temperature, and simmer until sauce reduces to the desired consistency.2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice, ½ cup ketchup, ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mild molasses, ½ cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 inch piece fresh ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
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Off heat, add the lemon juice and stir well. Set aside until needed.Juice of 1-2 lemons
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If making the sauce ahead, refrigerate it in an airtight container until ready to use.
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Pour about ½ cup sauce in a separate small bowl to use while grilling. Save the remaining sauce to serve alongside the grilled breast.
For the Pineapple Salsa
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Cut half of the grilled pineapple slices (below) into tidbit-sized pieces.1 fresh pineapple
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In a medium bowl, combine all salsa ingredients. Gently mix, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.½ cup red onion, 1 medium jalapeños, 1 red bell pepper, 1 inch piece ginger, Zest & juice from 1 lime, ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves, Pinch of kosher salt
For Grilling the Turkey & Pineapple
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Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and discard the marinade. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
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Liberally coat the turkey with the dry rub; set aside while the grill heats and pineapple cooks.
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Fill ⅓ a large aluminum drip pan with water and set it in the center of the grill. Place coals all around the drip pan and heat the coals to medium heat (350°F). Put the grill in place and brush the clean grill with canola oil.
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Dry the pineapple slices with paper towels and lightly brush with oil. Lightly sprinkle with kosher or fine sea salt.
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Set the pineapple slices around the edge of the grill, over the coals, and grill until caramelized on both sides.
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Cut half of the grilled pineapple slices into pineapple tidbits. Use the tidbits for the grilled pineapple salsa.
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Transfer the remaining grilled pineapple slices to a plate and set aside to serve with the grilled turkey breast.
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If necessary, add more coals and allow them to heat to 350°F. The breast will need to cook approximately 1½-2 hours (depending on the thickness) to reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
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Apply another coat of canola oil to the grill grate and place the turkey breast on the oiled grate.
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Cover the grill and cook the breast, turning it over every 15 minutes. Brush the turkey with lemon and/or lime juice with every flip of the breast.Extra lemon and/or lime juice to use while grilling the breasts
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During the last 20 minutes of cook time, turn the breast over every 5 minutes, brushing it with the reserved ½ cup of huli huli sauce each flip until the internal temperature registers 160°F on an instant read thermometer.
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Transfer the breast to a serving plate, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
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Serve with extra huli huli sauce, pineapple salsa, and grilled fresh pineapple slices.
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Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.Fresh chopped cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
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