Quick Look at How Long to Grill Chicken Thighs
- Grill Temp: 400° F.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs:
- Cook Time: 3-4 minutes per side
- Bone-In Chicken Thighs:
- Cook Time: 5-7 minutes per side
- Internal Temperature: 165-175° F
- Main Ingredients: chicken thighs, soy sauce, oil, salt and pepper!
- Dietary Info: dairy-free and gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole30-friendly.
- Seasoning Options: increase the flavor with the best chicken marinade or our homemade chicken seasoning!
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Why You’ll Love These Perfectly Juicy Chicken Thighs
- Only 4 basic ingredients!
- Keep the heat outside on the grill + minimal clean-up.
- Pro grill master tips for juicy and tender chicken EVERY TIME – never dry!
- Great for a backyard BBQ, easy weeknight dinner, or meal prep!
- Cooking techniques for boneless AND bone-in chicken thighs.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken Thighs – highly recommend quick cooking boneless chicken thighs, but instructions are included below for boneless and bone-in chicken thighs.
- Soy Sauce – substitute coconut aminos for Whole30, Paleo, and Gluten-Free.
- Salt and Pepper – simple seasoning always needed for cooking any cut of meat.
How To Grill Chicken Thighs
Step 1 – Marinate chicken in soy sauce.
Step 2 – Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on the hot grill.
Quick Marinade
Adding a quick soy sauce marinade (even just 5 minutes – while the grill heats up) adds flavor, juiciness, and perfect char marks for gorgeous grilled chicken thighs. Option to level up to an easy chicken marinade (with a soy sauce base, of course) to add even more flavor!
Step 3 – Grill over direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side or until done.
Step 4 – Rest the chicken for 5-10 minutes and serve.
How To Grill Bone-In Chicken Thighs
- Preheat grill to a high heat (400-450° F). Make sure the grill grates are clean.
- Marinate in soy sauce and season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Grease the hot grates and grill for 5-7 minutes per side or until their internal temperature reaches 165° F. Note: for really thick thighs, you may need to move them to indirect heat (flames on burners that are not directly under the chicken) to finish without burning the outside. Rest 5-10 minutes and serve!
How Long To Grill Chicken Thighs
| Chicken Thighs | Grill Temp | Total Time |
| Boneless | 400° F | 6-8 minutes |
| Bone-In | 400° F | 10-14 minutes |
| Thick Thighs | add 2-4 minutes | *use indirect heat, if needed |
| Always cook to | 165° F | According to USDA |
How to Know when Grilled Chicken Thighs are Done
The internal temperature of the chicken at the thickest part of the meat should reach 165° F (use a meat thermometer). Let them rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before serving to let internal juices redistribute (don’t skip this step).
Best Ways To Serve Grilled Chicken Thighs
The options for serving perfectly grilled chicken thighs are endless! Here are some of my favorites:
- Main with Side Dishes: keep it simple and enjoy with grilled potatoes in foil, grilled sweet corn, or any other grilled vegetables.
- Add a Dip: absolutely love to serve with a small dish of mustard mayo dip!
- Salad: cut into cubes and enjoy on a honey mustard chicken salad or grilled chicken caesar salad.
- Rice Bowls: a great addition to a street corn chicken rice bowl.
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
These have been tested NUMEROUS times and here are our top learnings:
- Don’t skip the soy sauce!! Even if you only have 5 minutes. This gives them beautiful color, flavor, and juiciness.
- Prep the Grill – preheat to a high heat (400-450° F), clean grates, and grease right before adding chicken to minimize sticking.
- Only 1 flip needed – flipping too early will result in sticking. When ready, flip just one time and then close the lid and cook to 165° F internal temp. Try to keep the lid closed unless checking the temp towards the end.
- Rest cooked chicken 5-10 minutes – do not skip this step! Needed to redistribute juices to keep them juicy.
Grilled Chicken Thighs FAQs
Yes, but they need to be fully thawed before being placed on the grill. Putting frozen chicken thighs directly on the grill is not recommended.
Keep it simple with soy sauce, salt and pepper or level up the flavor with a basic chicken marinade, Greek chicken marinade, or cilantro lime marinade. Or just sprinkle on a simple homemade chicken dry rub, if you don’t have the time to let it marinate!
Yes, simply put the chicken thighs with soy sauce in a freezer-safe storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and resume the grilling instructions.
For boneless chicken thighs you will be grilling them for approximately 6-8 minutes. For bone-in chicken thighs you will be grilling them for approximately 10-14 minutes. The internal temp needs to reach 165° F. Nobody wants to eat undercooked chicken!
Try to keep the lid closed as much as possible. Only open it to flip them once and then to check the internal temperature towards the end. Otherwise a significant amount of heat will be lost and it will take longer for them to fully cook.
Make sure the grill is preheated, the grates are clean, and they are greased (non-stick cooking spray) right before adding the chicken. Also, don’t flip them too early. If they are sticking, they probably aren’t ready to flip.
It is always best to have a small water bottle ready to spray flare-ups when grilling anything. Also make sure you let any excess marinade drip off of the chicken before cooking.
For best results, start with the skin-side down on the hot grates. This will give it a nice, crispy skin on the outside. Keep the skin-side down for 5-7 minutes, flip, and then keep the skin-side up for the duration of the cook time.
Yes, grilled chicken thighs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Just reheat and serve!
Other Grilled Chicken Recipes You Might Like
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 boneless or bone-in chicken thighs
- ⅓ cup soy sauce, sub coconut aminos or tamari
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat grill to medium high heat (about 400℉) and ensure grill grates are clean.
- Season Chicken: Place 6 boneless or bone-in chicken thighs in a bowl or shallow baking dish with ⅓ cup soy sauce. Toss to coat and let marinate for 15-30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
- Grill: Grease the hot, clean grill grates and place the chicken directly on the grates to cook over direct heat (directly over flame). Close the lid and drop the heat slightly. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side (note: bone-in chicken thighs will need 5-7 minutes per side), flipping once. Remove from grill once the internal temperature has reached 165℉ (use a meat thermometer).
- Rest + Serve: Let chicken rest 5-10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Notes
- Meat Thermometer: Having a meat thermometer is SO helpful when cooking meat, especially chicken which has to reach an internal temp (at the thickest part of the meat) of 165° F before it is safe to eat. If you DON’T have a meat thermometer, you know your chicken is done when the juices run clear once you remove it from the grill.
- Cook Time Listed: Note that the total cook time listed is 8 minutes – this is for boneless chicken thighs. Bone-in chicken thighs will be closer to 10-13 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
- Thick Bone-In Chicken Thighs: if your bone-in chicken thighs are especially thick, you may need to move them to indirect heat (flames on the outside burners are on, but the middle is not which is where you put the chicken) to cook the chicken to an internal temp of 165° F. This will keep the outside of the chicken from burning.
- Marinade: we love this Easy Chicken Marinade, if you want to try it!
- Brine: Pickle Brine Chicken is one of our favorite recipes!
- BBQ Chicken: if you want to add some easy homemade bbq sauce, brush the sauce directly on the chicken when it’s internal temperature is around 155° F. Close the grill and let the sauce become tacky. Do not flip after the sauce is added, it will burn. Remove and let rest.
- Gluten-Free, Whole30, & Paleo: swap soy sauce for coconut aminos or tamari.
- Nutrition info is calculated using boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Nutrition
Originally published June 25, 2019. Retested and updated with new photography on July 6, 2026.
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Jen says
This is the best recipe for bone in and boneless thighs. We use this recipe almost every week. It is a huge hit every time. It has even won over my dad, who is non a chicken thigh fan.
Erin says
Thank you, Jen!! So glad you enjoyed this one!
EJ says
Turned out perfectly!
MIMI says
I like to place boneless thighs into ziplock and add honey mustard dressing to coat well. Refrigerate over night then grill on gas or charcoal. Absolutely delicious and easy
Erin says
Oooh love the sound of that!!
EB says
Hi. Do you keep the top down while it’s cooking, or leave it up? I’m using a gas grill.
Erin says
Keep the top down while cooking!
Linda says
Love love love this! I was way over cooking them! Thanks !
Erin says
So glad you found it helpful!!
Steven says
Love this chicken thighs. Thank you for share these tips.
Erin says
Glad you found them helpful, Steve!!! Thanks for the feedback!