What are the best ways to season grilled chicken thighs?

Keep it simple with some 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!

What temperature should the grill be to cook chicken thighs?

For boneless chicken thighs your grill should be at approximately 400 degrees. For bone-in chicken thighs your grill should be at approximately 450 degrees.

How long does it take to grill chicken thighs?

For boneless chicken thighs you will be grilling them for approximately 8 minutes. For bone-in chicken thighs you will be grilling them for approximately 10-13 minutes. Just make sure you keep track of that internal temp, because it has to reach 165 degrees F. Nobody want to eat undercooked chicken!

What if I don't have a meat thermometer?

We highly recommend a meat thermometer , it isn't very expensive and comes in so handy when cooking any type of meat! If you don't have one, you will know that the chicken is cooked all the way through if its juices run clear once you remove it from the grill and let it rest for a minute. If you find that you haven't cooked your chicken all the way back through, return it to the grill quickly and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes at the same temp.

Do you grill chicken thighs skin side up or down first?

It is best to start with the skin-side down on the hot grill first. This will give it a nice, crispy skin on the outside. Keep the skin-side down for 3-5 minutes, flip, and then keep the skin-side up for the duration of the cook time.

How to Grill Chicken Thighs (boneless + bone-in)

Name: How to Grill Chicken Thighs (boneless + bone-in)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs; 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt; 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

Description

Grilled Chicken Thigh Recipe: follow our step-by-step tutorial on how to grill boneless or bone-in chicken thighs like a pro!

Ingredients

Scale

6 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs
1–2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

Boneless Grilled Chicken Thighs:

Bring grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees F) and ensure grill grates are clean.
Combine salt and pepper in a little bowl.
Place chicken on plate. Pat dry with clean paper towel.
Drizzle chicken with olive oil and rub all over. Sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper mixture.
Grill chicken on direct heat (directly over flame) for 3-4 minutes per side (the bigger the thigh the longer you will need to cook it), flipping once.
Remove from grill once the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F (use an instant-read meat thermometer).
Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Bone-In Grilled Chicken Thighs

Bring grill up to medium high heat (about 400 degrees F) and ensure grill grates are clean.
Combine salt and pepper in a little bowl.
Place chicken on plate. Pat dry with clean paper towels.
Drizzle chicken with olive oil and rub all over. Sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper mixture (make sure to get some under the skin too).
Grill chicken skin-side down on direct heat (directly over flame) for 4-6 minutes and then flip.
Cook on other side until internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. (use a meat thermometer).
Remove from gill and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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 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 upon how thick they are.
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 are wanting to add on some barbecue sauce, then when the chicken thighs are about 10 degrees below your desired internal temp move them to indirect heat and brush on the bbq sauce. Close the grill and let the sauce become tacky. Remove and let rest.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
Calories: 188
Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 451.7 mg
Fat: 6.9 g
Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
Protein: 29.4 g
Cholesterol: 140.1 mg