Summertime is the perfect season for grilling, and this recipe for juicy grilled chicken thighs makes it super easy and incredibly delicious!
The best part? This recipe is as easy as it gets. Just mix up the marinade, let the chicken soak up all that goodness, and then throw it on the grill. In no time, you’ll have perfectly grilled chicken thighs that are golden brown and delicious.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make: You only need about 5 minutes of prep time, and the rest is hands-off time plus tending to the grill.
- Everyday ingredients: No complicated ingredients needed for this recipe – and you probably have most of them on hand already!
- Full of flavor: The easy marinade adds so much flavor to the meat, for very little extra effort. Just what you need in an easy weeknight dinner!
Grilling is one of my favorite ways to make dinner in the summer – prep time is usually short, and it doesn’t heat up the house. Here we’re taking chicken thighs, infuse them with delicious flavor with a quick and easy marinade (you can make this ahead, so dinner prep is out of the way early!) and then grill them to perfection!
So, fire up that grill and get ready to enjoy a speedy, lip-smacking dinner that’s sure to become a summer staple in your home. Once you try these Grilled Chicken Thighs, you’ll wonder how you ever got through the season without them!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they grill faster and it’s easier for the kids to cut. Feel free to use bone-in/skin-on thighs, but they’ll need a little longer to cook through.
- Soy sauce/balsamic: If you only have one of these on hand, feel free to use 2 tablespoons of what you have if you don’t want to bother with buying more condiments.
- Lemon juice: Fresh tastes best, but bottled works in a pinch.
- Minced garlic: Feel free to skip this if you want to keep this recipe extremely easy. It adds another layer of flavor, but the marinade is very good without the fresh garlic, too.
- Brown sugar: Feel free to reduce the amount, or replace the sugar with honey or maple syrup.
How to grill chicken thighs
1. Make the marinade:
Start by combining all marinade ingredients in a medium measuring jug. Whisk until smooth.
2. Marinate chicken:
Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag, letting out any excess air.
Gently massage the marinade into the chicken for a minute, then place the bag in a shallow dish (to catch any spills – just in case!) and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and for up to 12 hours.
3. Grill the chicken:
Once ready, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit in the bag with the marinade at room temperature while your grill preheats.
Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly grease the grates.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess (discard the marinade). Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F per the USDA food safety guidelines. I baste the chicken with the cooked juices once halfway through, but that’s entirely optional and will only work on a closed grill surface where the juices don’t drain.
Once done, remove the chicken from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Top tips
- Don’t skip the marinade: Even just 15 minutes of marinating time helps to keep the chicken juicy and full of flavor. So don’t skip this step if you want your chicken thighs to come out the best way possible!
- Flipping: If the chicken sticks to the grill when you try to flip it, don’t worry! Just give it another minute or two. It means it’s not quite ready yet, and letting it cook a bit longer will make it easier to turn over without tearing.
- When is the chicken done: You’re looking for a beautiful golden brown color all around the chicken. That’s a good sign it’s cooked. Also, make sure to check the temperature with a meat thermometer. You’ll want it to read 165°F in the thickest part to know it’s perfectly done and safe to eat.
Helpful hints
Recipe variations
- Try a different marinade: This recipe works with all of my chicken marinades, so feel free to try a different flavor to switch things up:
- Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes, chili powder or chili flakes to the marinade. You can also add a little hot sauce, if you like.
- Add herbs: Chop up soft herbs (parsley, thyme, basil…) very finely and combine with some olive oil. Brush the grilled chicken right before serving for some added fresh flavor.
Storage
Leftovers:
To store your leftover chicken, pop it into an airtight storage container and refrigerate it. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, so it stays fresh and delicious.
When you’re ready to reheat it, you have a couple of options. You can place the chicken in a baking dish and warm it up in the oven at 350 degrees F. Alternatively, if you’re in a hurry, you can reheat it in the microwave.
Freezer:
If you buy chicken thighs on sale, or have a large amount to store away for some other reason, you can freeze them right in the marinade!
Assemble the recipe in a freezer bag labelled with the name and use-by date. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost the chicken in the fridge overnight (make sure to place the bag in a dish to catch any spills!). Remove the bag from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking the chicken, then follow the recipe instructions for how to grill it.
Serving ideas
This is a versatile chicken dish you can serve many different ways! Here are some of our favorites:
- Over rice with a side of roasted summer squash, sautéed green beans or sautéed zucchini
- With grilled vegetables or grilled corn on the cob, potato salad and crusty bread
- With tomato basil pasta or mushroom risotto
More chicken thigh recipes
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Grilled Chicken Thighs
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mustard Dijon or yellow
- 1 clove garlic minced (optional)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Make marinade: Place4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 clove garlic (minced, if using), 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium measuring jug. Whisk until smooth.
- Marinate chicken: Place 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs in large zip-top bag. Pour marinade over chicken. Remove excess air from bag, zip close and massage marinade into chicken for one minute. Place bag in a shallow dish, refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
- Prep grill: Once ready to grill, remove chicken from fridge. Allow to sit on counter in bag for 20 minutes, while grill preheats. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off any excess. Discard marinade.
- Grill chicken: Lightly oil grill grates, then grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken from grill, rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they grill faster. Feel free to use bone-in/skin-on thighs, but they’ll need a little longer to cook through.
- Soy sauce/balsamic: If you only have one of these on hand, feel free to use 2 tablespoons of what you have if you don’t want to bother with buying more condiments.
- Lemon juice: Fresh tastes best, but bottled works in a pinch.
- Minced garlic: Feel free to skip this if you want to keep this recipe extremely easy. It adds another layer of flavor, but the marinade is very good without the fresh garlic, too.
- Brown sugar: Feel free to reduce the amount, or replace the sugar with honey or maple syrup.
Recipe tips
- Flipping: If the chicken sticks to the grill when you try to flip it, don’t worry! Just give it another minute or two. It means it’s not quite ready yet, and letting it cook a bit longer will make it easier to turn over without tearing.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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