This crispy beer chicken recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken thighs! I soak juicy bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a sweet-and-savory marinade made from beer, garlic, thyme, and honey before searing them to perfection. The skin gets so crispy! These chicken thighs taste just like they came off the grill– in fact, I think they’d be delicious on the grill, too!
Crispy Beer Chicken
I love cooking with beer! This crispy beer chicken thighs recipe is one of my favorites, right up there with beer can chicken and beer battered chicken sandwich. There’s just something about the way that beer pairs with the juicy, tender chicken.
I don’t usually opt for skin-on chicken thighs, but there’s just something so right about that crispy skin in this yummy beer marinade. While this is one of my favorite summer recipes, it’s also perfect for game day in the fall. There’s never a bad time for chicken and beer, right?
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover marinated beer chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating the air fryer or oven so the skin stays crispy!
How to Freeze
You can freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months. Just make sure it’s fully cooled to room temperature prior to freezing. I recommend letting frozen chicken thighs slowly defrost in the fridge prior to reheating.
Notes and Tips
- You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless thighs, too, but they won’t get that yummy crispy skin.
- Don’t try to skip the beer marinating process! The chicken thighs need the full 4 hours to really soak in all of that amazing flavor. Plus, this process helps to tenderize the meat.
- I always recommend cooking with a beer that you’d actually drink. Corona is my go-to beer to use for the marinade. A darker porter would make a different but delicious flavor.
- If you don’t want to cook with alcohol, you can also use a zero-alcohol beer.
Top Reader Review
“I used zatar and it came great” -Nana
Beer Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley optional, for garnish
For the Marinade
- 12 ounces Corona beer
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry thighs. Place chicken in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pierce chicken through with a skewer, pour beer, add garlic, thyme, bouillon powder, and honey. Cover with foil and marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator.12 ounces Corona beer, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules, 1 tablespoon honey
- After 2 hours, turn the chicken on the other side to make sure to get the marinade everywhere.
- When you are ready to cook, heat a large skillet on medium-high heat with olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- When it starts to smoke, sear the chicken skinside-down until golden and crisp. Flip and sear the other side until golden, then decrease heat to low.
- Heat a pan on high-medium heat and boil beer marinade until reduced by half. Pour on the chicken and turn heat to medium-high. Let reduce again until thickened. Pour beer sauce on the chicken from time to time to keep the skin moist.
- Remove and garnish with parsley.Fresh parsley
Notes
How to Make Marinated Beer Chicken Step by Step
Marinate the Chicken: Wash and pat dry 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Place the chicken in a large bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Pierce the chicken through with a skewer, then pour 12 ounces of Corona beer over the top. Add 5 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon granules, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Cover with foil and marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator. After 2 hours, turn the chicken on the other side to make sure to get the marinade everywhere.
Sear the Chicken: When you are ready to cook, heat a large skillet on medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When it starts to smoke, sear the chicken skin-side-down until golden and crisp. Flip and sear the other side until golden, then decrease the heat to low.
Reduce the Marinade: Heat a pan on high-medium heat and boil the beer marinade until reduced by half. Pour on the chicken and turn the heat to medium-high. Let reduce again until thickened. Pour the beer sauce on the chicken from time to time to keep the skin moist. Remove and garnish with parsley if desired.
I used zatar and its came great
That sounds delicious, Nana! Thanks so much for sharing!