Best Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipes

LEMON AND HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine.
• Place the chicken thighs in a wide flat dish so they are in a single layer. Add the herb mixture. Massage the thighs to coat with the herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Note: If doing a quick marinade, leave the chicken out of the fridge for up to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill. Brush and oil the grill to clean.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season the chicken generously with salt and drizzle with a little bit of fresh olive oil.
• Cut the 2 whole lemons in half and cut the tips off the ends; this will allow the lemons to stand up without rolling around. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the preheated grill. Place the lemons, flesh side down, on the preheated grill. Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes and then rotate the chicken 90 degrees to create the lovely crosshatch pattern. Grill the chicken for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. Check for doneness (the chicken should be well cooked). Check the lemon halves to see if they are beautifully caramelized. Turn over to grill on the bottom for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with grilled lemon.
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• March - Why We Love: Lemons

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BLACKBERRY BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the coriander, paprika and salt. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, season on both sides with the spice mixture and place in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Refrigerate for several hours but preferably overnight.
• Prepare and preheat your lump charcoal grill to create two heat zones: high and low.
• Brush the chicken thighs with olive oil and place them skin-side down on the hot side of the grill. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and move the chicken to the low side of the grill, skin-side up. Cover and cook until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour half the Blackberry BBQ Sauce into a medium bowl and use it to baste the chicken occasionally during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
• Remove the chicken from the grill. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
• In a large saucepan, combine the blackberries, beer, vinegars, sugar, onion, garlic, habanero, chipotle powder, coffee, coriander and cumin. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Carefully puree the sauce in a blender or food processor, then strain.

GRILLED LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Zest and juice 4 lemons; reserve remaining 2 whole.
• Combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, sage, garlic, and crushed red pepper for marinade in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Place chicken thighs in a single layer in a wide, flat dish. Add the herb mixture and massage to coat. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season generously with salt and drizzle with olive oil.
• Cut the 2 whole lemons in half and cut the tips off of the ends; this will allow the lemons to stand up without rolling around.
• Place the chicken, skin side-down, on the preheated grill. Grill chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees to create a crosshatch pattern. Grill another 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and grill until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• At the same time, grill the lemons, flesh-side down, alongside the chicken, until caramelized. Flip over to grill on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with grilled chicken.

GRILLED CITRUS MARINATED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. In a non-reactive baking dish large enough to hold all the chicken to marinate, whisk together the vegetable oil, citrus zests and juices, cayenne pepper and the thyme. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the grill. Remove the chicken from marinade and let excess drip back into dish. Place chicken on the hot grill, without overcrowding the pieces. Grill until fully cooked through, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes total, depending on how hot your grill is. Serve immediately.

GINGERY GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CHARRED PEACHES

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken: In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, grated ginger and a pinch of salt.
• Season chicken all over with salt, and put it in a larger bowl or resealable bag. Add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic mixture. (Give it a stir before measuring in case any of the ginger has fallen to the bottom. Save remaining balsamic for serving.) Add the thyme, garlic, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Cover bowl or close bag, and let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Light the grill or heat the broiler, arranging the rack about 4 inches from the heat source.
• Prepare the peaches: In a bowl, combine butter, thyme and honey. Brush peaches lightly with butter mixture and place in a grilling basket, if you have one, or directly on the grill. Grill over direct heat until just charred, 2 to 4 minutes per side. You'll know they are done when the skin curls back and the flesh starts to melt. Transfer to a serving platter or plates, and, if you like, drizzle with a little more of the butter mixture and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
• If there's room on the grill, cook the chicken at the same time (or wait until peaches are done). Brush off any clinging pieces of marinade from chicken, pat it dry, and coat lightly with oil. Grill or broil until charred and browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to a platter or serving plates, along with the peaches. Serve with dollops of yogurt on the side if you like, and a drizzle with some of the remaining gingery balsamic and a little more olive oil. Scatter with scallions and basil, if using, for garnish.

THAI-INSPIRED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, sesame oil, ginger, Sriracha, garlic, lime juice, and lemongrass paste together in a bowl.
• Put chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag, pour marinade over chicken, and marinate for 2 hours or overnight for an even better flavor.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grate.
• Remove chicken thighs from marinade, discarding marinade.
• Grill chicken thighs until they are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 3 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove from grill and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

THAI GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Place chicken in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sherry, brown sugar, chili sauce, minced garlic, Sriracha sauce, sesame oil, and lemongrass paste in a bowl and pour over chicken. Seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but up to 8 hours for maximum flavor.
• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade.
• Grill until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 12 minutes total, turning halfway through the cooking time. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer to a serving platter and let rest 5 minutes.

LEMON, ROSEMARY AND BALSAMIC GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine and pour into a 1-gallon resealable food storage plastic bag. Put the chicken thighs in the bag and seal it. Turn to ensure that the chicken is evenly coated, then refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium-low and brush the grates lightly with an oil soaked cloth. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Season the chicken well on all sides with salt and pepper, then place on the grill, skin side down. Cook the chicken about 8 to 10 minutes, turn and continue to cook an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat and serve while hot.

CHICKEN THIGHS TERIYAKI (MARINATED AND GRILLED)

Steps:

• For the marinade, in a resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, garlic and red pepper.
• Remove skin from chicken, if desired. Add chicken to the marinade and refrigerate 2-24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Preheat grill to medium.
• Remove chicken from marinade and grill, covered, for 50-55 minutes or until tender and no longer pink (180 degrees F.) turning once.

BALSAMIC GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, olive oil, garlic, tarragon, and thyme together in a small bowl. Place chicken thighs in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag and pour vinegar mixture over the chicken; turn to coat. Seal bag and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade.
• Grill chicken for 15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

LEMON AND GARLIC GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Prepare an outdoor grill for medium heat.
• Whisk the oil, oregano, lemon zest and juice and garlic in a large bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Lightly oil the grill grates and grill the chicken, skin-side down, until lightly charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Cover the grill and cook until no longer pink near the bone and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of each chicken thigh reads 165 degrees F, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad.
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MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• For the chicken: Combine the olive oil, sumac, salt, granulated garlic, pepper and lemon zest and juice in a large shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken thighs and mix to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• For the eggplant and naan: Use a paring knife to make crosshatch marks on the flesh side of each eggplant half. Drizzle both sides of the eggplant with oil and sprinkle with sumac, salt and pepper.
• Preheat a grill for cooking over direct and indirect medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, flipping once, until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
• Meanwhile, grill the eggplant, starting flesh-side down, for 5 minutes. Flip and cook 5 minutes more, then move to indirect heat to cook until tender, an 5 additional minutes.
• Turn one of the burners to high heat. Lightly brush both sides of naan bread with olive oil and grill over high heat, flipping frequently, until slightly charred and warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes total.
• For the yogurt tahini sauce: Whisk together the yogurt, tahini, parsley, honey, olive oil, cumin and lemon juice in a bowl, then season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange chicken and eggplant on a platter. Drizzle with honey and olive oil. Top with fresh mint and parsley leaves. Serve with yogurt tahini sauce and grilled naan bread on the side.

SUNNY'S GRILLED SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN THIGHS AND RICE

Steps:

• For the marinade: Place a chicken thigh on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and gently pound to even out the thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides and place in a bowl or resealable bag. Repeat with remaining thighs. Add the Jamaican jerk sauce and mix to coat the chicken evenly. Let marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
• For the rice: Add the rice, chicken stock, Jamaican jerk sauce, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper to a rice cooker. Cook rice according to rice cooker instructions.
• For the skewers: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread 2 skewers on either edge of a chicken thigh, then add an onion followed by another thigh (so the chicken and onions lay flat, not stacked). Repeat with remaining chicken and onions. Place skewers on grill pan and cook 5 minutes, then flip, brush with Jamaican jerk sauce and dome with a large metal bowl. Cook on second side until chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool slightly before removing skewers.
• To serve: Chop the onions. Fluff rice and stir in onions and chopped parsley. Serve with chicken.

GRILLED HARISSA CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Combine harissa spice blend, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture over chicken thighs, including under the skin. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Place chicken thighs on the hot grill, skin side down, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken over and grill on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Continue flipping every 3 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF, about 20 to 25 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil; let rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine harissa seasoning, honey, and melted butter for glaze in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until mixture is heated through and has a thinned consistency, about 10 seconds. Drizzle over chicken and serve.

GRILLED CHIPOTLE LIME CHICKEN BREASTS - OR THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to moderate heat for gas or medium indirect heat for charcoal and AWAY from fire, lightly oil or spray COOL cooking rack for easy cleaning.
• Mix minced pepper, adobo, lime juice,garlic, oil and pour half into resealable bag. DO NOT add the honey. That comes later. Reserve the rest for basting.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper- sometimes we use season salt or lemon pepper for a twist.
• Add chicken to bag and allow to marinate for 15 minutes. No need to refrigerate for this short time.
• Remove chicken from marinade and place on preheated grill. Discard USED marinade.
• Grill chicken about 4-5 minutes then flip over and cook another 4-5 minutes.
• Now add the honey to RESERVED marinade and baste chicken. Immediately flip chicken and baste the unbasted side. Grill until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from grill and pour any remaining RESERVED sauce on top.
• Note: This can be done on an indoor grill as well. Make sure you spray or oil it before heating grill.
• OAMC: If freezing ahead: Put ingredients in a ziploc bag and place in freezer, flattened. To cook from frozen: Thaw in refrigerator. Cook as directed above.

GARLICKY INSTANT RAMEN NOODLE SALAD WITH GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Chicken
• Place chicken in a medium bowl. Process garlic, cilantro roots, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, pepper, and salt in a small food processor until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape marinade into bowl with chicken and mix well. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Dressing
• Place chiles, vinegar, brown sugar, and fish sauce in a small glass jar; cover and shake to combine. Do ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Store at room temperature.
• Garlic
• Cook garlic and oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until garlic begins to turn light brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is medium brown and crisp, about 1 minute more. Immediately strain oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a small heatproof bowl. Let cool. Do ahead: Garlic can be cooked 1 day ahead. Transfer garlic oil and crispy garlic to separate airtight containers and store at room temperature.
• Noodles and Assembly
• Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and return noodles to pot. Pour in lukewarm water to cover and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to release as much starch from noodles as possible. Drain and repeat until water is clear. Drain well, shaking off excess moisture. Transfer noodles to a large bowl, pour in garlic oil, and toss to coat.
• Prepare a grill for high heat; lightly oil grate. Grill chicken until lightly charred on both sides and an instant read-thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°, 8-10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
• Add dressing to noodles and toss well to coat. Taste and add more fish sauce and/or vinegar if needed; noodles should be salty and sour with sweetness trailing behind. Add scallions, lettuce, cilantro, salt, half of peanuts, and half of crispy garlic and toss to combine.
• Transfer noodles to a platter and arrange chicken on top. Sprinkle crispy garlic and remaining peanuts over. Do ahead: Noodles can be cooked and dressed with oil 6 hours ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MANGO-ANCHO SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine mango, lime juice, honey, ancho chile powder, and salt in the bowl of a small food processor; pulse until smooth. Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce to a small bowl and whisk in rice wine vinegar and olive oil to make a marinade. Place remaining sauce in the refrigerator.
• Place chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag and drizzle with mango-ancho marinade. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator, 2 hours to overnight.
• Twenty minutes before grilling, remove chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place chicken on the hot grill, skin-side down, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and grill on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Continue flipping every 3 to 4 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 22 to 25 minutes total. Turn grill to low heat and brush both sides of the chicken with reserved mango-ancho sauce, grilling an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

GRILLED ORANGE CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine juice, sugars and salt; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until mixture reaches a glaze consistency. Remove from heat; stir in mustard and orange zest., Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper. On a lightly greased grill rack, grill chicken, covered, over medium heat 6-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°, brushing occasionally with some of the sauce during the last 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.

APRICOT GLAZED GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Heat gas or charcoal grill. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients; mix well. Set aside.
• When grill is heated, place chicken on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear, turning once and brushing with preserves mixture once halfway through cooking time. Discard any remaining preserves mixture.

MUSTARD AND APPLE CIDER GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk apple cider, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Add chicken thighs and stir until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove chicken from the refrigerator.
• Transfer chicken to a plate and pour marinade into a large skillet. Add carrots and cabbage and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until carrots have softened, about 30 minutes.
• While carrots and cabbage are cooking, place chicken thighs on the preheated grill and cook until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a serving plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with carrots and cabbage.