This crispy beer chicken recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken thighs for game day or weeknight dinners! 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, and I finish them with a beer glaze, making every bite irresistible!
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Beer Chicken Marinade
I love cooking chicken with beer! This crispy beer chicken thighs recipe is one of my favorites, right up there with beer can chicken and beer battered chicken sandwiches. It adds the perfect flavor, tenderizes the meat, and makes for crave-worthy game day food.
For this recipe, I focused on a simple beer marinade for chicken that doubles as a sauce/glaze at the end. I made it with beer (of course!), garlic, fresh thyme, chicken bouillon granules, and honey. I like using a lighter beer, like Corona, that complements rather than overpowers. Thighs sear on the stovetop in just 15 minutes, so this ends up being a super quick meal once it’s time to cook!
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Marinating Time
The beer marinade helps tenderize the chicken while also infusing it with flavor. I recommend marinating chicken in beer for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight. Any longer than 12 hours, and the meat may start to break down a little too much. 4-8 hours is the sweet spot!
Beer Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (*)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- 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, ground black pepper
- Pierce chicken through with a skewer, pour beer into the bowl, add garlic, thyme, bouillon powder, and honey. Cover with foil and marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator. (After 2 hours, flip the chicken on the other side to make sure it is fully marinating.)12 ounces Corona beer, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules, 1 tablespoon honey
- When you are ready to cook, heat a large skillet on medium-high heat with olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- When the oil starts to smoke, place the chicken in the pan skin-side down. Sear 5-7 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Then reduce heat to low.
- Heat a pot on high-medium heat and boil the beer marinade until reduced by half. Then pour it over the chicken and raise 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 to serve.fresh parsley
Notes
- I like Corona, but you can make this recipe with any beer. I recommend choosing one you know you like the flavor of. Lighter beer will allow the chicken flavor to shine, while darker beers (like porters) will have more of a distinctive “beer” flavor.
- If you don’t want to cook with alcohol, you can also use a zero-alcohol beer.
- The ideal marinating time is 4-8 hours.
- Bone-in chicken thighs are best when cooked to an internal temp of 170-180F.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Beer Marinated Chicken Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this beer chicken recipe. Wash and pat dry 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Then place it in a large bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Marinate the Chicken: Pierce through the skin of the chicken with a skewer, then pour 12 ounces of beer into the bowl. Then add 5 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon granules, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Cover the bowl with foil, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours. After 2 hours, flip the chicken in the bowl to make sure everything is marinating evenly.
Sear the Chicken: When you are ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, on the stovetop over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, place the marinated chicken in the skillet, and sear skin-side-down until golden and crisp. Flip and sear the other side until golden, then decrease the heat to low. Thighs should take about 5-7 minutes per side to sear.
Make the Beer Glaze: Heat a separate pan over high-medium heat. Add the beer marinade, and heat to a boil until reduced by half. Pour it over the chicken thighs, turn the heat to medium-high, and let it reduce again until thickened to your liking. Pour the beer sauce on the chicken from time to time as it reduces to keep the skin moist.
Serve: Serve beer glazed chicken immediately, while hot. Garnish with parsley if desired. I love to serve this dish with a side of potatoes (of any kind).
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover marinated beer chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, reheat in the oven or in an Air Fryer until warmed through. This will keep the skin nice and crisp!
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