Grilled Chicken Thigh Cooking Time
A good estimate for bone-in chicken thigh cooking time is 25 minutes, but the exact grill temperature, the thickness of the thighs, and their temperature at the start of grilling will make the exact time variable.
Boneless thighs will be about 5 minutes less and tend to be thinner, so watch your internal temperature starting at 15 minutes.
Always cook to a final internal temperature. Please, never by time alone.
How To Grill Chicken Breast
Grilled chicken breast wins the popularity contest. Its high in protein, low in fat, and easy to grill.
The average sized boneless chicken breast is 3-8 ounces, which takes about 12 to 15 minutes on the grill. Place the meat on the grill with medium direct heat and then turn every 5 minutes to avoid burnt outsides and underdone insides.
Although skinless, boneless chicken breast is popular, it may be one of the hardest chicken cuts to get right. The lack of fat and bone doesnt give you much flexibility with cooking time. Try butterflying the meat prior to placing it on the grill. Butterflying technique is splitting open the meat horizontally and laying it out like butterfly wings.
Grilling bone-in, skin on chicken breast will take about 25 minutes. You can decrease how many times you turn the meat since the bone takes longer to absorb heat. When youre grilling bone-in chicken breast, cook with indirect heat for the first 12-15 minutes and then move the chicken to direct heat to finish searing off the skin.
How To Grill Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs On A Gas Grill
It only takes a few steps to make boneless skinless chicken thighs on a grill.
First up, prepare your marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, honey, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and combine it.
Add the marinade and chicken thighs to a sealable gallon bag or Tupperware made for marinading then place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minute or up to 12 hours.
When youre ready to grill, preheat grill to 350°F. Once its ready, remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess then place on the grille grates.
Its going to cook fast, so youll only need to let it cook for 5-6 minutes on both sides. Try keeping the grill cover closed to maintain the heat.
Once its reached an internal temperature of 165°F, remove the chicken thighs from the grill and let rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing. Slice then serve warm!
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How Long To Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe And Tips
Summer barbecues are incomplete without grilling chicken thighs. Besides, owing to the simplicity of this dish theres no reason why you should skip it. It can be cooked on any type of grill, flavored with just salt and pepper. The only thing you need to be cautious about is how long to grill boneless chicken thighs. It only takes a span of minutes to overcook tender and juicy meat.
Lets discuss how long to grill the meat, but also what different marinades you can try to give it an extra shot of flavor. Scroll down to know everything about it.
How Long Do You Cook Chicken On The Grill At 300 Degrees
Whether you grill it upright for beer can chicken, or on its back, the preferred temperature range for your grill is 200-300°F . This is a long, slow cooking process, that will take approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the bird and how well your grill maintains temperature.
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Should Chicken Thighs Be Grilled
While searing, you need to remember that turning the sides of the chicken thighs more than once will cause the skin to char. For leg pieces, give them a quarter turn after every 90 seconds. If the grill flares up suddenly, move the pieces away from the coals.
Grilling The Chicken Thighs
Tip: You can buy a pre-made sauce at the store or you can try making your own teriyaki or barbecue sauces!
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Faqs And Tips For Making The Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
How long can I marinate chicken?
The ideal time for marinating chicken is anywhere from 12 24 hours. The longer you marinate the more flavor you will add to your chicken, but even 1 hour of marinating will make a huge difference in the flavor of the chicken.
What happens if you marinate chicken too long?
If you marinate chicken for more than 24 hours, it will eventually become tough and rubbery. For optimal texture, you want to marinate your chicken between 12-24 hours.
Do you rinse marinade off chicken before cooking?
You should discard marinade before cooking chicken, but you dont need to rinse it. Simply remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel before cooking.
How long should I grill boneless chicken thighs?
Boneless skinless chicken thighs generally take about 12 15 minutes to grill over medium-high heat, but that time can vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
What temperature should my grill be to cook chicken?
To prevent food borne illness always cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 165F.
How can you tell if chicken thighs are cooked?
I always recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of chicken thighs, but the chicken will no longer be pink in the center and juices should run clear.
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How Long Does It Take To Grill Thighs On The Grill
If youre looking to cook up some delicious grilled thighs, theres no need to wait too long the grill can do it all for you. Grill time ranges from minutes to hours, so it really doesnt matter how long it takes you. In fact, even if youre a first-timer, dont hesitate to try out this popular cooking method -Grill-thighs are a dish that everyone should try at least once!
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How Long Should Chicken Thighs Be Cooked
Boneless skin-on chicken thigh cook fast, about 15 minutes bone-thighs take longer, around 25 to 30 minutues. Using a digital thermometre, measure internal temperatures of chicken breast and thighs before cooking. Chicken breast takes longer to cook than thighs , so dont overbake. Serve with rice and vegetables. Bonne bouche French for good bite is a French term for chicken breasts that are cooked quickly and served hot. This is especially true of boneless chicken cutlets, which are often served with white rice. For a more traditional dish, use boned chicken pieces instead. If you want to make a recipe using bonemeal, see the recipe below.
How Long Does It Take To Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs At 350 F
It takes slightly longer to grill boneless chicken thighs at 350 F because youre grilling over medium heat. Boneless chicken thighs should take around 25 minutes to grill over 350 F. However, its always advised to check the internal temperature of the meat before taking it out from the grates.
If the internal temperature taken from the innermost part of the boneless chicken thighs doesnt register 17165 F, allow the thighs some more time to cook until they reach their safe minimum internal temperature.
Put your boneless chicken thighs skin-side down and cook them for at least 10 minutes. Now flip over the sides and grill them for an additional 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the boneless chicken thighs, take them out of the grill, and allow them a rest time of around 10 minutes.
The grilling time of boneless chicken thighs at 350 F may vary based on your recipe and the thickness of the chicken thighs. You can cook boneless chicken thighs for some more time to achieve your desired level of doneness.
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Summary: Average Grilling Times For All Chicken Cuts
For your reference, here are the average times for grilling various size pieces of chicken:
- Chicken breast, boneless, skinless 6 to 8 ounces will take between 8 and 12 minutes over direct medium heat
- Chicken breast, bone-in 10 to 12 ounces 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat
- Leg or thigh, bone-in 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat
- Thigh, boneless, skinless 4 ounces 8 to 10 minutes over direct high heat
- Chicken wings 2 to 3 ounces 18 to 20 minutes over direct medium heat
- Whole chicken 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs 1 1/2 to 2 hours over indirect medium heat
Do keep in mind that these times may vary if you , add a sauce, or change the chicken in any way.
Also See
How Long To Grill Bone
If youre planning to use a gas grill and want to prepare perfect grilled chicken thighs, the temperature on the grill should be about 450 degrees. You should use a gas grill with multiple zones for indirect grilling .
To achieve this, turn off one set of burners once the grill reaches the desired temperature and place the meat on the grill.
Gas grills are easy to use because you can manage the fire with a turn of a button. Set up for indirect heat. If you have a three burner, put all the meat in the middle, higher heart on the outside, with lower heat in the middle to avoid flare-ups.- Grill Top Experience YouTube Channel
You should start by having the chicken thighs grilled skin-side down to get perfectly crispy skin.
Grill for about 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t grill for longer than this because itll be overcooked.
The next step is to flip them over and keep the chicken thighs skin-side up. Grill the thighs for about 7 more minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer.
To sum up, the approximate grilling time for bone-in skin-on chicken thighs is 10 to 13 minutes.
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How To Bbq Chicken Thighs
Dont believe me that these are super easy AND incredibly delicious as well? Check out how simple it is to make BBQ chicken thighs at home! For a full recipe card with ingredients, detailed step-by-step instructions, and nutrition information, scroll to the bottom of this post.
How Long To Grill Chicken Leg Quarters
Since legs and thighs have the biggest bones, it takes longer to cook than the breasts or wings.
Youll want to grill whole chicken legs over indirect heat for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. Finish over direct heat for about 10 minutes, 5 minutes per side.
Because of the dark meat and bones, you want to wait until the internal temperature is 180 °F to 190 °F before taking them off the grill. 165 °F is safe, but at 180 °F the meat tastes much better, and it will be tender.
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Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
If youre looking for a easy, flavorful way to cook up some chicken, you cant go wrong with grilled chicken thighs. Boneless chicken thighs are cheap, flavorful, and a breeze to cook. They also make a nice change from the same old chicken breasts that we tend to reach for so often.
Chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content than chicken breast, allowing them to stay moist and juicy when grilled. They also hold up well to high temperature grilling, meaning you can grill them quick and fast and get a gorgeous texture that simply melts in your mouth.
Another great bonus with choosing chicken thighs over chicken breast is that thighs taste incredible. More fat content means more flavor, making thighs a fantastic option when you want a flavorful cut of meat before adding any seasoning.
How To Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs
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Questions About Grilled Chicken Thighs
How do you grill chicken thighs without drying them out?
Properly marinating chicken will help tremendously in keeping it from drying out on the grill. The marinade penetrates the chicken flesh and results in a tender, flavorful finished piece of chicken.
Do you close the grill when cooking chicken thighs?
Yes. Keep the grill closed except for when youre checking or turning the chicken. This helps prevent fluctuations in grill temperature.
At what temperature is chicken done?
Chicken is done at 165 F. Check with a meat thermometer to be sure. You might consider removing the chicken from the grill when the internal temperature has reached about 160 degrees. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
Grilled Chicken Thighs Faq
How long does it take to grill chicken thighs on a gas grill?
Cook bone-in skin-on chicken thighs over indirect heat at 425F for 45 minutes. If your chicken thighs are small start checking for doneness at 35 minutes.
What is the best way to grill chicken thighs?
The best way to grill chicken thighs is over indirect heat.
How do you grill chicken without drying it out?
Grilling dark meat like chicken thighs with bones and skin intact is your best option for tender juicy chicken. Chicken breasts are much more likely to dry out on the grill.
This is one of those chicken recipes where you spend 5 minutes of hands-on time and then let your gas or charcoal grill do the work. With indirect heat, you set it and forget it. Let it cook while you relax with a cool, refreshing beverage and maybe some great conversation.
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Ingredients You Need To Make Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs: Look for plump thighs of similar size, 6 to 8 ounces each
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Enough of both to season generously.
No need to marinate or brush anything on to make this chicken thigh recipe. With just three ingredients, your chicken thighs will emerge juicy and tender on the inside with a fabulously crispy skin on the outside.
Grilled Bbq Chicken Thighs
by Mike Vrobel· This post may contain affiliate links ·
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I know the power of the dark sideof the chicken. Now, look on in despair as I use that power to annoy the barbecue purists! Ha! Haha! Hahahahaha! Ha..ahem. Sorry.
Im cooking dark meat chicken thighs high and hot, not low and slow.2I know, I know, death to the unbeliever, defiler of the one true cooking method, etc, etc I love the chicken shreds when I cook it low and slow, but the skin? Flabby and chewy. Blech. When I do make pulled chicken, the skin is the first thing I throw away.
Thats a tragedy. Browned, crackling chicken skin is my favorite part of the bird almost more than the dark meat and I dont want to toss it aside. High heat roasting on the grill gives me the crisp skin I love.
Now, Ive gone on and on about the benefits of homemade barbecue rub and barbecue sauce, but dont let that stop you from trying this recipe. Good store bought rubs and sauces work just fine. But, if you find yourself at the store every other weekend in the summer, buying another bottle of sauce or jar of rub, try making a big batch of your own. Youll be amazed how easy it is to do.
- Total Time:1 hour 5 minutes
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