Best Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs Recipes

GRILLED MEDITERRANEAN-INSPIRED CITRUS CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and pepper together in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken thighs, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken thighs from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 4 to 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

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.
• Call yourself a superstar!
• March - Why We Love: Lemons

EASY CITRUS MARINADE FOR GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Combine garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, and paprika in a mixing bowl. Whisk in lime juice until well combined.

CITRUS-MARINATED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Set aside 1/4 cup sliced scallions. Pulse cilantro, garlic, citrus zests, citrus juices, soy sauce, oil, salt, and remaining scallions in a food processor or blender until a coarse purée forms. Set aside 1/4 cup marinade; place remaining marinade in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Chill at least 20 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade and place, skin side down, on a foil-lined broilerproof baking sheet; discard marinade. Broil chicken until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn; continue to broil until cooked through and an instantread thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 12-15 minutes longer. Serve chicken with reserved marinade and scallions.
• DO AHEAD: Chicken can be marinated 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

EASY GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CITRUS MARINADE

Steps:

• Whisk 2 large shallots, finely chopped, 4 garlic cloves, finely grated, ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. sugar, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl to combine. Set ⅓ cup marinade aside.
• Arrange 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb.) in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over chicken and turn to coat. Cover dish and chill, turning chicken halfway through, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into dish; discard marinade in dish. Grill chicken, turning halfway through, until cooked through and blackened grill marks appear, 10-14 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
• Serve chicken with reserved marinade spooned over.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CUMIN, CAYENNE AND CITRUS

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill, start a wood or charcoal fire or preheat a broiler; the fire should be moderately hot, and the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source.
• Combine the garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cloves, salt, pepper and oil in a blender or small food processor, and blend until fairly smooth. Add the juices, taste and adjust seasoning; the flavors should be powerful.
• Smear sauce over chicken; if time allows, marinate 30 minutes or so. Grill 6 to 8 minutes a side, or until meat is nicely browned and cooked medium or better on the inside. (Thighs with bones will take longer, about 20 minutes total.) Serve, garnished with the cilantro.

CITRUS-MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the first eight ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours., Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°.