I grill chicken thighs at least once a week during the warmer months of the year, and they’re extra tasty thanks to my simple marinade recipe! I marinated these bone-in chicken thighs in a bold mix of sweet and savory ingredients before throwing them on the grill. The skin gets perfectly charred, and the meat comes out incredibly tender. It’s the easiest dinner recipe for summer!
Top Reader Review
Refreshing taste and perfect for chicken. Also easy to put together
–
Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs
My favorite thing about summertime is grilling chicken for the easiest dinners! I love grilling any cut, but nothing comes out quite as juicy as bone-in chicken thighs. The bone helps keep the meat so moist and tender, and reduces the risk of it drying out. Combined with my flavorful marinade for grilled chicken thighs, this recipe just can’t be beat.
I mix sweet and savory herbs and spices with soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and oil to make the marinade. It infuses the chicken with so much moisture and flavor, and mixed with that wonderful char from the grill, it doesn’t get much tastier!
Email this recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Chicken Recipes.
Grill Temp and Time
Set your grill to a medium-high heat, between 350-400°F. At this temperature, bone-in thighs will take between 6-10 minutes to grill per side (or 12-20 minutes total). Boneless thighs will take slightly less time to cook through (5-7 minutes per side).
It’s always best to keep an eye on the chicken while it cooks, and check the internal temperature to decide when it’s done. I recommend taking chicken thighs off the grill right at 165°F, tenting them in foil for 5-10 minutes, and letting the temperature come up closer to 170-175°F. This is when the meat really gets tender!
Grilled Chicken Thighs (Simple Marinade Recipe)
Equipment
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (*)
- minced parsley (optional, for garnish)
For the Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken:
- Place bone-in chicken thighs into a large, gallon-sized resealable bag.4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, dried basil, cumin, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and pepper into the bag with the chicken thighs.3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoons dried thyme, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Seal the bag, and massage the chicken to throughly coat in the marinade.
- Let thighs marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Place in the fridge if marinating longer than 30 minutes.
Grill the Chicken:
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat (350-400°F) and grease to prevent sticking. Then place the chicken thighs skin side down on the grill.
- Grill chicken thighs for 6-10 minutes per side, depending on their size. Be sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F before consuming.
- Let the thighs rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.minced parsley
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for 30-60 minutes. It doesn’t need to marinate any longer than an hour–though you can marinate up to 8 hours. For this short of a marinating period, you can marinate at room temp or move it to the fridge.
- I recommend bringing chicken to room temp before placing it on the grill.
- Fully preheat the grill before cooking.
- Always use a meat thermometer when grilling chicken! The proper temperature is 165°F. To take the temp, insert an instant read thermometer at the thickest part of each thigh, being careful not to touch the bone–this will give you an incorrect reading.
- Allow chicken to rest for 5-10 minute after grilling so the juices can redistribute though the meat.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Marinade Ingredients & Substitutions
This marinade recipe has all the right components for deliciously juicy grilled chicken thighs: sweet, salty, tangy, and herbaceous. You can definitely riff on the marinade ingredients, as long as you include one of each part, plus oil to emulsify the whole thing and protect the chicken from burning on the grill.
- Sweet: Any kind of sugar, honey, agave, or maple syrup works here.
- Salty: I used soy sauce and Worcestershire, but kosher salt, coconut aminos, or tamari would work.
- Tangy: I like lemon juice, but any kind of citrus, vinegar, or even fish sauce would work here.
- Herbaceous: Pick your seasonings–the world is your oyster!
How to Cook Marinated Chicken Thighs on the Grill Step by Step
Prep: Grab some chicken thighs and the list of marinade ingredients. Juice the lemons.
Prep the Chicken: Place 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs into a gallon-sized resealable bag. Alternatively, you can place the chicken in a large baking dish to marinate.
Season the Chicken: Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1½ tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, ¾ teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper into the bag with the chicken thighs.
Marinate the Chicken: Slosh the chicken around in the bag to thoroughly coat all sides of the chicken thighs in the marinade. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling. This is plenty of time to get tenderized meat and plenty of flavor. But you can marinate thighs in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
Grill the Chicken: Heat up your grill up to medium-high heat (350-400°F). Then place the marinated chicken thighs, skin side down, on the pre-heated and greased grill. Cook bone-in thighs for 6-10 minutes per side, about 12-20 minutes total.
Serve: Let the thighs rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with minced parsley, plate, and serve as desired! I love serving these with grilled veggies for a simple and healthy summer meal.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Let leftover grilled chicken thighs cool before storing in an airtight container, a resealable bag, or tightly-wrapped in aluminum foil.
- Fridge: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat in a skillet set over medium-low heat until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating bone-in pieces in the microwave because they tend to dry out and heat unevenly.
Leave a Reply