Grilled Chicken Thigh Recipe - Easy, Juicy, Flavorful

With slightly crispy skin on the outside and juicy meat on the inside, grilled chicken thighs are great dish for both weeknight dinners and special gatherings. Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs are more simple to cook, so you won’t have to worry about them drying out from overcooking. Instead, they grill up fast and are super easy to prepare. You can serve them as a main dish or toss them into salads, sandwiches, and wraps. This recipe, shared for the first time by Chef Joe, will help you grill juicy, tender and flavorful check thighs.

Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Thighs:

• 2 pounds skin-on chicken thighs
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Tools for Grilled Chicken Thighs:

• Grill or grill pan
• Tongs
• Wireless meat thermometer

How to Choose the Best Chicken Thighs for Grilling?

Joe believes that using skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs is the best way to go. The bones help lock the gravy in, while the fat under skin provides grilled chicken thighs with more flavor and a nice crispy finish. That said, boneless and skinless chicken thighs are totally fine too, and they cook faster is that’s what you prefer.

How to Grill Chicken Thighs?

Try the following step-by-step instructions provided below, and you can perfectly grill tender, moist inside and crisp outside chicken thighs every time.

Step 1: Pat the chicken thighs dry. If using frozen chicken thighs, thaw them thoroughly before grilling. Then, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which will help them never stick on the grill.

Step 2: Marinate chicken thighs. Whisk all marinate ingredients in a bowl to combine. Brush the mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, and make sure they are all well-coated. Marinate chicken thighs for 1 hour or at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Preheat your grill. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, approximately 375-400°F (190-200°C). For charcoal grill, wait until the coals are white-hot and glowing.

Step 4: Insert meat thermometer. If using a wireless meat thermometer like INT-14-BW or IBT-26S, insert the probe into the middle of the chicken thigh but without touching the bone. But if you only have an instant read thermometer, adopt it manually during the grilling process.

Step 5: Grill chicken thighs. Oil the grill first. Then, place seasoned chicken thighs on the preheated grill and grill for 6 minutes per side. Flip the chicken occasionally to ensure even cook and prevent burning. For boneless chicken thighs, sear the skin side first for 5 minutes, and then flip it to grill another 5 minutes. Transfer chicken thighs to indirect heat where temperature is around 300°F and grill for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature of chicken thighs reaches 165°F.

Step 6: Let rest. Once the chicken thighs are cooked, remove them from the grill and let them rest for about 3 minutes before serving, so that the juices can redistribute and make chicken thighs more tender and more flavorful.

How Long to Grill Chicken Thighs?

The grilling time can vary depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs and the temperature of your grill. In this recipe, we grill them over direct heat for 6 minutes on each side, then switch to indirect heat for another 3 minutes. Once the thickest part of the thighs hits 165°F, it is safe to remove them from heat. For boneless chicken thighs, grill 3 minute less in total.

Grilled Chicken Thigh Serving Suggestions

Grilled chicken thighs are super flexible and go great with a variety of flavors and sides, so they fit right into any meal. You can serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, such as barbecue sauce or honey mustard. For a laid-back vibe, toss them into salads, sandwiches, or tacos. If you are in the mood for something more filling, team them up with grilled veggies, mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

How to Store Leftovers?

First, let the grilled chicken thighs cool to room temperature, but don't leave them out for more than two hours to keep bacteria at bay. After that, pop the chicken thighs into an airtight container or a zip-top bag and stash them in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, simply microwave them on the defrost setting for a minute or two , or heat them up in the air fryer with a splash of barbecue sauce.