Grilled Chicken Thighs

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Grilled Chicken Thighs - If you’re looking for a new summer BBQ recipe or something flavorful for a quick weeknight meal, these grilled chicken thighs made with a simple garlic lemon marinade are just the thing!

These juicy grilled chicken thighs are made with a simple marinade of avocado oil, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh cilantro and grilled to perfection on an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Just like my oven baked chicken thighs recipe and BBQ baked chicken thighs recipe, they’re super flavorful and a great way to get dinner on the table in a hurry!

It does take a bit of prep time because of the lemon garlic chicken marinade that needs time to marinate, but otherwise, it’s effortless.

Serve it on the side of mashed potatoes and grilled veggies, or switch things up with a light side salad. However, whenever, and with whoever, you’re going to love these grilled chicken thighs!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Made with simple ingredients. Grilled chicken recipes don’t need to be complicated to get a ton of flavor from them.

Healthy and easy to prepare. Whether inside or outdoors, this easy chicken thighs on the grill is perfect for year-round healthy cooking. Allow the marinade to tenderize and flavor the chicken, then it’s ready for the grill.

Pairs well with many side dishes. The delicious yet versatile flavors of this grilled chicken marinade make it easy to pair with your favorite side dishes.

Ingredients Needed

lemon garlic chicken marinade ingredients

Chicken Thighs: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs because I prefer the flavor and juiciness of dark meat. Boneless chicken cooks faster too.
Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade: Avocado oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, and fresh cilantro.
Salt and Pepper: To taste.

How to Grill Chicken Thighs

Step 1: Marinate the chicken thighs. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl or Ziploc bag. Stir to combine then add the chicken to the mixture.

Step 2: Toss the chicken to coat and make sure to get the marinade in all the nooks and crannies. Let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge, best overnight.

Step 3: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Once it is nice and hot, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side until they’re cooked all the way through.

perfectly grilled chicken on the plate garnished with cilantro

Step 4: Remove from the grill and place them on a cutting board or serving platter to rest for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Slice the chicken, garnish with cilantro, and serve it with chopped onion and your favorite sides. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Make sure your grill is clean. Using a grill with stuck on food particles will alter the flavor of your food.
Always add meat to a hot grill. This way it’ll give it a nice sear and char marks and your chicken won’t stick to the grill.
You want to marinate for at least 4 hours, but you can prepare the marinade the night before and leave the chicken to marinate overnight. Just don’t leave any longer than that or the acid in the lemon will start to make the chicken mushy.
Discard marinade. Don’t use any mixture that’s been in contact with raw chicken. Throw it away.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Thighs

This easy grilled chicken thigh recipe can be enjoyed in many different ways! Serve it for dinner with a side dish of Instant Pot mashed potatoes, or roast potatoes with garlic and rosemary. You could also do cheesy scalloped potatoes if you want!

To keep things on the lighter side, if you want something low-carb or quick for lunch, you could add slices of chicken to a salad. This crazy delicious Greek salad or quinoa arugula salad would be great with grilled chicken on top.

You could also use it as a filling in a wrap with a cherry tomato salad on the side and maybe a drizzle of creamy garlic yogurt sauce on top!

FAQs

How long to grill chicken thighs?

This is always going to depend on how big your chicken thighs are, how high your heat is, and whether or not you are using bone-in chicken.
For this recipe, I like to cook it for 6-8 minutes per side. If you’re using bone-in chicken, you’ll do the same, but then move it to indirect heat and continue cooking until it’s cooked through. The best way to tell when it’s done is to use a digital thermometer. When chicken is ready to be served, it should be at 165 degrees.

Keep in mind that once you take it off the grill and let it rest, the internal temperature will continue to rise for a few minutes.

How to store leftovers?

Store leftover grilled chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Does grilled chicken freeze well?

Absolutely! The way I’ve written the recipe, it’s meant for 2 servings. Easily double or triple the recipe to serve more people or to guarantee leftovers. Keep them frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and then thaw them in the fridge overnight.

Other Easy Chicken Recipes

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