Name: Perfectly Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe (Easy Marinade!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 400 min
Ingredients: 10 - chicken thighs; 1 tbsp. – smoked paprika; 1 tbsp. – Mrs. Dash seasoning; 1 tbsp. – garlic salt; 1 tbsp. – dry parsley ((or 3 tbsp. fresh)); ½ tsp. – sea salt; ¼ tsp. – ground black pepper; ½ cup – olive oil; 1/3 cup – water

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This Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe will give you juicy and tender chicken on the inside that’s perfectly crisp on the outside!

Not only does it taste absolutely delicious, but it’s also super easy to make! If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, this recipe is the one for you!

Chicken thighs are the juiciest and most flavorful part of a chicken. Marinade the chicken thighs overnight and all you’ll have left to do is grill it for dinner.

While you grill the chicken, you can make some side dishes and have dinner ready on the table in 30 minutes. How easy is that? It’s a foolproof recipe that’ll taste delicious every single time!

Want to learn how to make the most perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs? Then keep on reading!

Table of Contents

What Makes This Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe Perfect?
Should I Use Boneless or Bone-In Chicken Thighs?
Should I Use Chicken Thighs with Skin or Skinless?
How to Know When the Chicken Thighs are Perfectly Cooked?
How to Grill Chicken Thighs on a Charcoal Grill Instead?
What You Need to Make Grilled Chicken Thighs at Home
How to Make the Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs
What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Thighs?
How to Store Leftover Grilled Chicken Thighs
More Grilling Recipes
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Perfectly Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe (Easy Marinade!)
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What Makes This Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe Perfect?

This Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe will give you an incredibly juicy chicken that is marinated and grilled to perfection. Most people usually opt for chicken breast when grilling but using chicken thighs instead changes everything!

Chicken thighs are inherently juicier than chicken breast, which will give you perfectly cooked, juicy chicken each time.

It’s also a darker meat compared to chicken breast, which means you’ll get a richer flavor in this recipe. But don’t worry it’s still really healthy!

Although chicken thighs are slightly fattier, they are a great source of lean protein and contain more vitamins and minerals than chicken breasts.

My recipe for Grilled Chicken Thighs is made using the perfect chicken marinade for a delicious meal that everyone in your family is going to absolutely love.

Should I Use Boneless or Bone-In Chicken Thighs?

You can use either boneless or bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe. I’ve used boneless chicken thighs in this recipe and that’s what the cooking times are for.

If you opt to go for bone-in chicken thighs, just increase the grilling time. I’ve included tips in this post to help you know exactly when the chicken is done so don’t worry, you’ll always end up with incredibly delicious chicken every single time!

Should I Use Chicken Thighs with Skin or Skinless?

It’s all about personal preference when it comes to leaving the skin on or off. I prefer to trim off the excess fat and skin, but to keep the skin on. This gives a deliciously crispy chicken on the outside, and juicy tender chicken on the inside.

But don’t worry, you can definitely go for boneless skinless chicken thighs and still get incredible flavor thanks to the cooking technique in this recipe and the delicious marinade!

How to Know When the Chicken Thighs are Perfectly Cooked?

The best way to know for sure whether or not your chicken thighs are perfectly cooked is to check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer.

The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the chicken. That is approximately 75 degrees Celsius.

While you grill the chicken, you can make some side dishes and have dinner ready on the table in 30 minutes. How easy is that? It’s a foolproof recipe that’ll taste delicious every single time!

How to Grill Chicken Thighs on a Charcoal Grill Instead?

Grilling Chicken Thighs on a charcoal grill instead of a regular gas grill is the same except you’ll first need to start the charcoal in a chimney to get the coals hot.

Once that’s done, place them in the base of the grill and then it’ll start the preheating process as mentioned in this recipe.

Alternatively, you can also use a grill pan on medium-high heat to grill these chicken thighs on the stove, but I recommend grilling on grill grates for the best flavor!

What You Need to Make Grilled Chicken Thighs at Home

Making this delicious Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe is easier than you think. This is what you’ll need to make it at home:

Chicken thighs: I’ve used 10 chicken thighs for this recipe with the skin on. But you can go for skinless boneless chicken thighs as well.

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Spices and seasonings: My recipe calls for some smoked paprika, Mrs. Dash seasoning, black pepper, and garlic salt. It will give you a delicious flavor that won’t take away from the perfect taste of grilled chicken but enhance it instead.
Parsley: You can use dry or fresh parsley for this recipe. It adds a beautiful color and flavor to the grilled chicken that takes everything to the next level.
Olive oil: This will make sure that the chicken is cooked to perfection and the marinade is soaked in properly while marinating.
Water: We’ll be using some water to get the chicken marinade to the right consistency.

How to Make the Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs

Making this delicious Grilled Chicken Thighs is super easy! Here’s how to make it step by step at home:

How to Make Chicken Marinade

Start by trimming off extra skin and fat on the thighs. Next, place the chicken thighs into a large bowl of water.

Now add 2 tablespoon of sea salt to the water and let the chicken soak for 30 minutes. The process of soaking the meat in salted water causes the chicken to absorb some of the water through osmosis, making it moister when cooked.

Next, rinse the chicken thighs and place them into a strainer.

Now measure out the dry ingredients into a small bowl. Add water, and olive oil to it, and stir the ingredients together until they’re well combined. Your chicken marinade is ready.

How to Marinate the Chicken Thighs

Time to marinate the chicken thighs! Place them into a gallon Ziploc bag and pour marinade sauce over the chicken thighs.

Close the Ziploc bag tightly, coat the chicken into the marinade sauce, and refrigerate overnight or at least 12 hours. This will help get the juices get flowing and flavor the meat properly through.

How to Grill Marinated Chicken Thighs

Let's grill the chicken thighs now! Preheat the grill to 350 F (180 C).

Next, place the chicken thighs onto the grill grates. Maintain the temperature on the grill between 320 F – 350 F. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes.

Flip the chicken thighs over to the other side and grill them for an additional 10 – 15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

You can check to make sure the chicken is done if the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit when using a meat thermometer.

Remove from the grill. Your Grilled Chicken Thighs are ready to be served!

Thighs dish goes great with so many different sides! It’s incredibly versatile and tastes amazing with just about everything.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Thighs?

This Grilled Chicken Thighs dish goes great with so many different sides! It’s incredibly versatile and tastes amazing with just about everything. I recommend having some classic and traditional Potato Salad, simple roasted mixed vegetables, or delicious white rice.

If you want to serve it with another main bbq chicken dish, this Hawaiian Chicken Skewers recipe is absolutely delicious. It’s made with a homemade bbq sauce marinade and goes great with this Grilled Chicken Thighs dish.

Flavor Variation Ideas for Grilled Chicken Thighs

This chicken recipe for Grilled Chicken Thighs is absolutely perfect and on-point! But if you want to add a little variation to it, here are some great ideas you can try:

Spices: You can add your favorite spices to adapt the flavor to what your family loves the most. Onion powder goes great with the flavors in this marinade!

Make it zesty: You can add some lemon juice to the marinade to make your chicken more zesty!

Sauces: You can also add a little soy sauce for a more umami flavor. I prefer low sodium so I haven’t added it to the original recipe but you can definitely go for it! Another great option is to add a little Dijon mustard to the marinade to make it even more savory.

Make it sweet: Add some brown sugar to the marinade to make it a little sweeter. Combined with a hint of soy sauce, it will give you a more Asian-flavored marinade.

How to Store Leftover Grilled Chicken Thighs

If you have some leftover Grilled Chicken Thighs, you can easily store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat it, just rewarm it in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or alternatively in a microwave.

You can also freeze the leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge before reheating it.

Grilling with skin on gives a deliciously crispy chicken on the outside, and juicy tender chicken on the inside.

More Grilling Recipes

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