Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs

Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs are so juicy, moist, and tender!  These flavor packed chicken thighs are so easy to grill and have the best simple marinade!

Grilled Chicken Thighs:

We are dead in the heat of summer, and we’ve been firing up the grill every single night!  I don’t mind things like burgers and hot dogs, but nothing beats a piece of fall off the bone chicken!  We do chicken quite a bit around here and I know most of you have already tried and love my Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs and my Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs too!  When it came to the perfect grilled chicken thigh recipe, I knew I wanted to keep it simple just like those.  I want a nice crispy grilled skin, and very tender and flavorful chicken with the easiest marinade.  For this simple recipe, we will be giving you directions on how to grill chicken thighs on a gas, or charcoal grill!

How to Grill Chicken Thighs:

To start, grab a medium sized bowl and whisk together your marinade.  This consists of olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, mustard, soy sauce, dijon mustard, and brown sugar.  Pantry staples!  Trim any fat from your chicken thighs if necessary, and place in a large bowl or a large zip-top plastic bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken.

This recipe calls for 2-2.5 pounds of chicken thighs, or about 8 total.  As you can see from the photos, you will want to use bone-in and skin on chicken thighs for best results with this recipe.  After you have poured your marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, getting out as much air as you can.  Now, massage the meat inside the bag to make sure all of the chicken is well coated.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to 12 hours.  For best flavor, I prefer marinating for at least 2 hours, but a shorter time will work in a pinch.  Once the chicken has marinated, allow it to sit, covered in the bag at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while your grill heats up.  Grill the chicken as directed in the recipe card below for charcoal or gas!

Enjoy!

~Nichole

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4.99 from 276 votes

Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs

By Nichole

Perfect Grilled Chicken Thighs are so juicy, moist, and tender!  These flavor packed chicken thighs are so easy to grill and have the best simple marinade!

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Marinating Time 2 hours hrs

Servings 8 Thighs

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• ▢ Juice of 1 Lemon
• ▢ Juice of 1 Lime
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• ▢ 1/3 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
• ▢ 2 Pounds Bone in Skin on Chicken Thighs about 8 total

Instructions 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, mustard, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
• Trim fat from the chicken as necessary. Add the chicken thighs to a large zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the meat for a few seconds to make sure the meat is coated.
• Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 min. For best flavor, allow the meat to marinate for 2-12 hours before grilling. After marinating, allow the chicken to sit, covered in the bag of marinade for 15-20 minutes while the grill preheats.
• Preheat the grill to settings for medium-high heat on one side, or if using charcoal, arrange pieces into a two-zone fire with briquettes underneath half of the grill grate.
• Sear chicken thighs over lit side of grill 2-3 minutes per side until skin turns golden brown, taking care not to char.
• Move chicken pieces to unlit side of grill and cook, covered, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
• Let chicken rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

NOTE:  This chicken is best when marinated for at least 2 hours minimum before grilling!

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

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