by HollyTeriyaki Grilled Chicken Thighs are the perfect partner for the barbecue. They are marinated in a sweet & flavorful marinade and cook up succulent and juicy every time.
These are the best-grilled chicken thighs to serve with grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes or grilled corn on the cob.
Easy Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
This is a citrusy, Asian inspired marinade. For a different flavor, you could use lemon and/or lime juices instead of the orange juice, and Dijon mustard in place of the ketchup. The possibilities are endless!
- Liquids: soy sauce, honey, ketchup, orange juice
- Seasonings: green onions, garlic, ginger
There are plenty of other grilled chicken thigh marinades. A standard chicken marinade contains something acidic, oil, sugar and lots of flavor.
You can use a homemade Italian dressing (or bottled) or any other flavorful vinaigrette will work (such as lemon vinaigrette). Marinades are versatile and adaptable to your taste, so go ahead and experiment!
How to Grill Chicken Thighs
Grilled boneless chicken thighs are perfect for barbecues, they are inexpensive, easy to grill and don’t require the oven (like with Oven Baked Chicken Breasts).
They hold up to the heat and flames without drying out, delivering satisfaction in every bite.
- Marinate chicken thighs a minimum of two hours or overnight.
- Preheat grill and discard marinade.
- Place thighs on the grill, starting with the smooth side.
- Flip when seared and after charred grill marks appear.
Remove when juices run clear and the meat is uniformly cooked to a minimum of 165°F. Toss with fresh green onions and sesame seeds for a beautiful presentation!
How Long to Grill
Grilled chicken thigh recipes recommend cooking to the minimum poultry-safe temperature of 165°F. Chicken thighs can actually be cooked to up to 180°F without drying out. Many think the higher temperature yields better tenderness and flavor too. Check the internal temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.
- If using a hot charcoal kettle-style grill, boneless chicken thighs will take about 10-13 minutes.
- If using a gas grill, chicken thighs will cook in about 10-12 minutes on medium heat.
More Grilled Goodness
- Easy Grilled Chicken Breast – ready in 20 minutes!
- Grilled BBQ Chicken – easy to season, grill & serve
- Grilled Chicken Fajitas – perfect for a crowd
- Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken – 5 ingredient marinade!
Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Thighs
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely minced
- 1 tablespoon sweet rice wine optional
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Instructions
- Mix all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
- Combine chicken and marinade ingredients in a bowl or freezer bag.
- Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade and discard any marinade.
- Grill chicken thighs 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through and no pink remains (165°F).
Nutrition Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
thanks holly i love chiken
Awesome
This the first time I am trying the. Crispy cutlets
How did they turn out for you, Rose?
Are the chicken thighs boneless, skinless? What about using boneless, skinless chicken breasts? Sounds delicious! I love a lot of your recipes Holly!
We use boneless chicken thighs in this recipe Cindy, but it would be delicious on chicken breasts as well. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly, just ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
Maybe raise the done temp to 170° then rove Frome grill and let Juices settle thighs take longer than any other part of the chicken and this really breaks it down to be Super Tender and juice they won’t get dry it’s kinda hard to over cook thighs …..Maybe pull some off at the lower temp and leave some on till the higher temp is reached and compare them
You are so right Jax! It is hard to overcook chicken thighs. They can be cooked to up to 180°F without drying out. Many think the higher temperature can yield better tenderness and flavor too.
Hi Holly,
How would this recipe change if I were to bake skinless boneless chicken thighs?
Thanks!
Hi Kiara, it shouldn’t change the cooking instructions but make sure the chicken is cooked uniformly to an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
Everything looks delicious!
Thanks Carol!
Thanks, these recipes look amazing.
I can’t wait to try them.
Thanks Cecelia! Enjoy the recipes!
This looks and sounds delicious. I’m not much of a griller, but I do have a George Foreman grill, would it work?
While I haven’t tried it I’m certain it would work. You’ll just want to make sure the chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!