What Is Two Zone Grilling
The key to this chicken thighs recipe is two zone grilling . To achieve this, you’ll need a gas grill that has multiple cooking areas / zones. Once you preheat your grill, you’ll turn off one set of burners to create an indirect cooking zone. This is where you’ll place your chicken thighs or any food that you want to grill indirectly. The other side of the grill will remain on, creating a direct heat zone.
You can create a similar effect on a charcoal grill by positioning the hot coals on one side and leaving the other side empty.
How Long To Grill Bbq Chicken Thighs
The cook times will vary based on the size of the chicken. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to the correct temperature.
Using a meat thermometer will make sure you do not overcook your chicken. We recommend staying close to the grill to ensure your chicken doesnt burn.
We grilled each side about 5-7 minutes. They were cooked all the way through and did not burn or dry out. We love to have the chicken thighs to have a crispy skin.
Why I Love These Grilled Chicken Thighs
Weve been spending days at the pool lately, and there is nothing I like better than coming home to a dinner thats already prepared.
These chicken thighs are perfect for that because I can throw them into a quick marinade before leaving and theyre ready for the grill when we get home.
The last time we made these, I served them with grilled asparagus and we even grilled some tater tots to go with them, but they would be great with some vegetable pasta salad or this hearty wheat berry salad.
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How To Prepare Grilled Bbq Chicken Thighs
Grilled BBQ Chicken thighs are really quite easy to prepare. Some people like the boneless, skinless thighs. Dont get me wrong, I love them. But when Im going to make grill chicken thighs, I prefer the skin on and bone-in thighs. I find they cook better, and they are more flavorful! As I mentioned, I love the taste of the dark meat of the thighs and, oh, that crispy glazed skin!
Ready To Hit The Grill
If this all still feels new to you, I encourage you to head over to Grilling 101, a compilation of tips & tricks for all of the grilling basics everything from how to light your grill to how to clean your grill.
All this talk about grilling have you feelin ready to hit the grill? Me too! Be sure to check out this post for my 15 go-to marinades you need this grilling season. At our house, a good marinade is at the heart of grilling season. Im positive these marinades will be on repeat at your house this summer! For even more grilled goodness, be sure to check out all of our Grilling & Smoking recipes.
& lastly! Be sure to give @playswellwithbutter a follow on Ill be teaching you how to grill up some goodness all summer long, & we have so much fun on Instagram!
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Grilled Chicken Thigh Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: either boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs will work and we have included instructions for both!
- Olive oil: we rub a bit of this on before seasoning.
- Seasoning: you can either use a classic salt and pepper seasoning OR you can use a fun chicken seasoning .
- : this Easy Chicken Marinade is a combination of soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and worcestershire sauce.
- Dipping Sauce : you definitely dont need a dipping sauce, but sometimes we like to use a little simple mustard mayo sauce to dip our grilled chicken thighs in!
A Tasty Simple Foolproof Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe
We love a classic recipe: simple enough to be a weeknight dinner yet easy enough to dress up for company. And, we guarantee itll be a crowd-pleaser! Doused in a flavorful marinade that can go with really, anything and almost effortlessly, you can pull a meal together with grilled chicken as the star! On those hot summer days, when you dont feel like turning on the oven, make the grill your best friend. We envision a full picnic spread with favorites like refreshing Watermelon Cucumber Salad and spicy Elote , or choose for yourself from our 30 Best Summer Side Dishes. Look no further, weve got the perfect grilled chicken thighs recipe for you.
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Why Thawing Is The Best Approach
If you can, try to pull the chicken thighs from the freezer the day before you plan to cook them. When you cook frozen meat, theres always a chance that the insides wont get hot enough to cook through, which could lead to food poisoning. The risk is even greater if the meat is still on the bone.
In addition to the health risks involved, when you grill frozen chicken thighs, the skin might stick to the cooking grates. This isnt a serious problem, but it does have aesthetic disadvantages.
Thawing the meat in the refrigerator will always yield the best results, as the cool temperatures will prevent bacteria from taking up residence. This method usually takes about 24 hours, but boneless thighs might thaw in less time.
Alternatively, you can defrost the chicken thighs in the sink or on the kitchen counter. Just dont leave them at room temperature for longer than 6 hours, and always keep them tightly wrapped as they thaw.
Cool water thawing is another option. Place the well-wrapped frozen chicken in a large stainless steel bowl, then fill the bowl with enough cool water to cover the meat. This technique should take about 2 hours for bone-in thighs, or slightly less if theyre boneless.
You can also use a defroster tray. These ridged aluminum pans are designed to warm the chicken to a safe temperature without applying any heat. The best versions are outfitted with drip trays to collect the chicken juices as the meat thaws.
To Make Bbq Chicken Thighs Marinade
- Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable bag, bowl or container.
- In a medium-sized bowl or jar, mix together the marinade ingredients. Set aside a quarter cup of the marinade .
- Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Allow it to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
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Tips For The Best Bbq Chicken Thighs
- For the best flavour, I prefer marinating the chicken thighs for at least 2 hours in the sauce, but 30 minutes will work if youre short on time.
- Oil the grill: I like to oil the grill grates before I preheat my grill to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill.
- Adjust cooking time depending on size of thighs: If youre using smaller chicken thighs, they tend to cook up a lot faster, so start with a shorter cooking time and keep an eye on them so that they dont burn.
- Use medium heat: Sweeter marinades like BBQ sauce have a tendency to burn quite easily on the grill due to their sugar content. The trick is grilling chicken thighs with BBQ sauce slightly longer over medium heat to prevent them from getting overly charred.
- Dont skip the basting step: This helps add additional flavour since some of the marinade is left behind when the chicken is transferred to the grill. This helps to lock in some extra flavour and juiciness right before serving and also provides that nice sticky glaze.
- Allow the chicken to rest on a plate tented with foil for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. This helps lock in the juices.
The Best Oven Baked Bbq Chicken
I love a perfectly grilled piece of bbq chicken as much as the next gal, but sometimes its easier to turn on the oven than fire up the barbecue.
And with the help of this recipe its totally possible to enjoy the most delicious, juicy, perfectly crispy barbecue chicken thighs from the oven!
This is our go to recipe, and its the perfect thing to serve with some Whole30 Coleslaw, Dairy Free French Onion Dip, and Watermelon Arugula Salad at your next get together!
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Baked Bbq Chicken Variation
Not everyone owns a grill or likes to grill. Or you may want to make this in the winter but don’t want to be outside in the cold. That’s where this baked version of BBQ chicken steps in. Heat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Remove thighs from marinade, discarding remaining marinade, and place thighs skin-side down in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 F. Carefully pour off any accumulated fat and drippings and brush barbecue sauce over thighs. Using tongs, flip thighs over and brush the tops with barbecue sauce. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes, basting with barbecue sauce every five minutes. When an instant-read thermometer registers 165 F, the thighs are done.
How Do You Keep Chicken Thighs From Drying Out On The Grill
- Allow the chicken thighs to rest at room temperature before grilling. I usually let them sit for about 20 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel before adding the dry seasoning.
- Use an instant read thermometer during cooking to make sure they are not overcooked.
- Place the skin side down first. Then for the remaining cooking time, make sure the skin is facing up. This will help to prevent the outer skin from drying out and becoming too crispy.
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Grilled Bbq Chicken Thighs Recipe
I love cooking chicken thighs on the grill because they are so easy to cook, never seem to dry out and take minutes to prepare.
The dry seasoning combined with the barbecue sauce result in the absolute best grilled thigh recipe. Each bite from the inside all the way to the outer skin is loaded with flavor.
If you need a fast dinner, chicken thighs take very little time to cook. They can go from grill to table in less than 15 minutes. That is quicker than take out and I assure you much tastier!
What If I Dont Have A Meat Thermometer
I would highly, HIGHLY recommend a meat thermometer if you are doing any sort of grilling with bone-in chicken thighs are chicken breasts. If you dont have a meat thermometer, you will know that the chicken is cooked all the way through if its juices run clear once you remove it from the grill and let it rest for a minute. If you find that you havent cooked your chicken all the way back through, return it to the grill quickly and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes at the same temp.
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How Do You Bbq Chicken Thighs On A Gas Grill
If youre looking to grill chicken thighs, there a few things you need to know. The first is that its important to have a gas grill as this will help produce the perfect burn. Next, make sure your area is prepped with oil and wood. Once everything is in place, start cooking your chicken by using the indirect heat method.
A Word About Grilling Chicken
Some outdoor chefsparticularly beginnersare nervous about the idea of using the grill to prepare chicken at all. This is especially true when it comes to bone-in thighs, which we would recommend over the boneless variety.
Its easy to overcook chicken breasts or tenderloins that have been pounded flat, and just as easy to undercook larger pieces without realizing it. Consuming undercooked chicken isnt just unappetizingit can be downright dangerous, since the raw meat may contain salmonella or other food-borne bacteria. Given these risks, its not surprising that people would be apprehensive about firing up the grill.
However, while grilling chicken does require a degree of finesse, its possible to achieve delectable results even if you havent had much practice. Most of the points well outline below should come in handy when preparing thawed chicken as well.
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Pay Attention To Size
Unlike chicken breasts, which consist of a single muscle, chicken thighs contain multiple pieceswhich is why they tend to have more irregular shapes and sizes, especially after the bone is removed. Also, the weight of a package of thighs can vary considerably depending on where and how they were raised.
In general, free range methods produce thighs that are more petite than their industrially-bred counterparts. Larger pieces of meat will require more seasoning and longer cooking times, so know what you’re working with before you fire up the bbq.
Chicken Thighs Are So Easy To Grill
Whether you are using a charcoal grill or gas grill, barbecued chicken thighs are so easy to cook. The meat is so tender and flavorful.
Get ready to enjoy a fabulous meal. Chicken thighs are so tasty and your family will enjoy them.
They are also budget friendly and a tasty way to reduce your grocery budget. Chicken thighs are often under utilized but taste amazing. Make these today and start incorporating more chicken thighs into your menu plan.
Your friends and family will love this recipe. It is the best and so easy to cook. In just minutes, this amazing meal goes from grill to table.
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Grilling Bbq Chicken Thighs
Using a paper towel, dab the chicken thighs dry then place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Kosher salt, and pepper. Toss to coat, making sure that all the thighs are coated with the dry rub of spices.
You can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for up to two hours. If you are in a rush, you can get them on the grill right away.
I like to oil the grill grates before I preheat my grill to avoid the meat sticking to the grill. Heat the grill to medium-hot. When the grill is ready, place the chicken thighs on the grill, skin side down. Leave them on the grill for 6-7 minutes. You are looking for nice grill marks but you have to watch them. The skin will cause flare-ups. You can move the chicken thighs around the grill to keep them from burning.
Flip the thighs over and continue to cook them for about 3 minutes. Brush the side facing up with BBQ sauce.
Flip the Chicken thighs again and brush the top with more BBQ sauce. Continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes. Flip the thighs one last time, brush with BBQ sauce. The skin side should be up at this point.
Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches a minimum of 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer. I use the Thermoworks Thermapen instant-read thermometer it works great every time!!
How To Grill Chicken Thighs: Style And Seasoning
Part of what makes chicken such a popular grilling choice is its versatility. Used in almost every nation, chicken can be marinated, rubbed, basted, brined, or lightly seasoned in various combinations and traditions. A comparatively lean protein to beef and pork, chicken thighs have the perfect fat content for a moist texture that takes on all the seasonings characteristics.
One tip is to pat the chicken with paper towels once removed from the marinade. Marinades often have a lot of sugar content like brown sugar that can easily char and burn too quickly. A favorite option is to use a rub of spices before grilling, and then add your favorite barbecue sauce at the end for a little gorgeous color and caramelization.
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How Can I Debone Chicken Thighs
If you cant find boneless skinless chicken thighs at the grocery store, you can always remove the bone yourself!
Heres a great guide on how to debone chicken thighs if those are all you can find in the store.
Grilling them with the bone in is also another option, but since the bone will absorb some of the heat, youll want to grill them a bit longer. Aim to cook your chicken about 10 minutes per side, but the total cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken thighs are.
Use a digital meat thermometer in the same way to make sure that its reached 165°F at the thickest part avoiding the bone.
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How To Grill Chicken Thighs On A Gas Grill
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