Can You Use Other Cuts Of Chicken
Yes, you can use something other than thighs for this recipe. If you prefer bone-in thighs with skin, you can use that too. This recipe for grilling also works for boneless skinless chicken breasts, drumsticks, and spatchcock chicken. The spice rub will be the same but keep in mind that the cooking time will not be the same. Watch your chicken while cooking and make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
I get my organic chicken through BUTCHERBOX. I have been using this service for a while now and I honestly find that the meat is juicier and I have yet to dry out any chicken when grilling or baking.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
See the recipe card for quantities.
Juicy Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Juicy grilled boneless chicken thighs begin with a marinade and end with charring them over direct heat on the grill.
You are going to love these grilled honey mustard chicken thighs. We served ours with a simple Spring salad, but serving them next to grilled potatoes or grilled carrots would also be delicious.
In this post, well give you a recipe for an epic honey mustard chicken marinade + share tips and tricks for perfect grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs!
The Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
Want to learn how to grill chicken thighs? This recipe is exactly what youre looking for. These boneless, grilled chicken thighs are soaked in a flavorful beer marinade for results that are unbelievably delicious and juicy. Theyre so easy to make, and theyre sure to become your new favorite summer meal.
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How To Know When Chicken Is Done
Chicken should not be dark red or look raw inside when it is done cooking. However, color does not indicate doneness. The USDA has said that even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices.
I highly recommend using a meat thermometer for checking the internal temperature of your chicken.
Its the easiest and most foolproof way to determine whether or not your chicken is done . A meat thermometer can also prevent overcooking your dish resulting in tough, flavorless chicken.
Chicken should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be safe to eat, so you will know without a doubt when the chicken is done.
Cooks Note : I like to remove the skin from chicken thighs prior to grilling. It is not a requirement though, the chicken will cook just great with the skin on.
However, the spices absorb so nicely throughout the chicken without the skin and I prefer it that way.
Its a well-established fact that I love crispy pan fried chicken or oven baked chicken complete with the skin, but when it comes to grilling chicken? Skinless is my favorite.
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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How To Make Boneless Grill Chicken Thighs
Grilled chicken is juicy, flavorful, and delicious. Learning how to grill boneless chicken thighs is simple with these tips. When it comes to grilling chicken, there are two main types you can use: bone-in or boneless. While both are excellent choices for the grill, boneless chicken thighs are among the most versatile meats available for cooking on an outdoor grill. Here are the steps to follow while grilling chicken thighs.
- The first step of grilling boneless chicken thighs is to make sure your grill grates are cleanedseason boneless chicken thighs liberally with genuine salt and newly ground dark pepper.
- Next, you want to preheat your grill to 350 degrees. This temperature is low enough, so you do not burn your food but are still hot enough, so the chicken cooks quickly.
- While the grill is heating up, you are going to cut slits in the skinless chicken thighs. You are cutting slits in the chicken to help keep them from curling while cooking.
- Your chicken is done when you see juices running clear from underneath the skinless chicken thigh. Let sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the liquid to absorb into the meat as it rests on a cutting board.
My Favorite Ways To Season Chicken Thighs
When it comes to dark meat, you dont really need to add much to make it shine. There are days where I just season with salt and pepper and call it a day, and honestly its perfect. But if you want to really make your meal pop heres what Id recommend
Chicken Dry Rubs Every dry rub you can think of is right here in this post. Ive got a rub for every mood Lemon Pepper, Smoky Chipotle, Buffalo, Mediterranean and my basic dry rub. One of my favorite things to do with a dry rub is to add olive oil to it, mix it around to form a kind of paste and then rub it onto my protein. It creates this crust that is mouthwatering!
Best Chicken Marinades Another great way to infuse flavor into your chicken thighs is to marinate them for at least 30 minutes or overnight if you have the time. Here are my top 5 favorite honey sriracha, teriyaki, zesty greek, sweet balsamic and cilantro lime. You cant go wrong with any of these!
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Why We Love Grilling Boneless Chicken Thighs
Grilling Boneless Chicken Thighs are a family because of the dark meat. They are rich in flavor and naturally juicy. Even if overcooked, they still will be full of flavor and juicy.
Boneless Chicken thighs are just easier to grill. No need to worry about the bones getting in the way of making your chicken is done.
What Temperature Should My Gas Grill Be For Chicken Thighs
If you are grilling boneless chicken thighs then your gas grill needs to be set to medium high heat, which is about 400 degrees. Place chicken thighs skin side down on oiled grates over lit side of the grill.
Close grill lid and grill until skin is crispy and chicken internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
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Tips For Grilling Boneless Chicken Thighs
we swear by marinating chicken thighs because it infuses the poultry with so much flavor.
Pro tip: set aside about 1/4 cup of marinade so that you can glaze the chicken with it right before removing it from the grill!
Oil grill grates: by rubbing oil onto your grill grates, you help prevent your chicken thighs from sticking.
Grill over medium/high heat: cook the thighs at around 400ºF for around 4-5 minutes on each side.
Grill over direct heat: we prefer grilling boneless chicken thighs over direct heat so they get those gorgeous char marks.
Cook until 160ºF: if you remove the thighs when the internal temperature reaches 160ºF, they will continue cooking as they sit about 5 more degrees.
Let rest: make sure to let the chicken thighs rest for around 5-10 minutes after you remove them from the grill so that they can continue cooking around 5 more degrees.
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!
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How Long Should You Grill Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
When the boneless chicken thighs have no skin, the above-mentioned higher temperature is more likely to cause a burn. As a rule of thumb, whether you cook them at 400 degrees by setting an indirect heat zone on your charcoal or gas grill or directly at 325-350 degrees F, aim at taking your meats internal temperature to 160 degrees.
You can check the chicken thighs internal temperature through an instant probe thermometer. Itll take 10 minutes which will include flipping after every 2-3 minutes. This way, your chicken will also not lose moisture.
Do I Cook With The Skin Side First
If you left the skin on the chicken thighs, you need to cook them with the skins side down first. That way, the chicken skin will become crispy and beautifully browned when cooked.
Keep it cooking for about 5 minutes with the skin side down and then flip it over. After that, you can keep the skin side up for the rest of the cooking process or until the insides are cooked.
Cooking the skin side down first will protect the insides from overcooking, but you also need to be careful not to overcook the skin itself as it can easily become too crispy and too bitter.
Ensure that you cook it just right and flip it over once the skin is slightly brown and crispy. It will then depend on the thickness of the meat how long to cook the other side.
To know whether or not the chicken thighs are fully cooked, measure the internal temperature and then remove the chicken from the grill once it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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How Do I Grill Chicken Thighs Without Burning Them
Heres a few tricks that may help you grill the chicken thighs without burning them:
- Youll want to keep an eye on the chicken thighs too since the marinade has honey in it. The sugars from the honey can burn, so moving it around away from the hottest point of the grill may help with that.
- Dont force the chicken to flip until its ready. If you try pulling the chicken off the grill, the outside can stick and burn.
- Use indirect heat rather than placing the thighs right over the flame source to ensure it cooks at a more even speed.
Do You Grill Chicken Skin Side Down First
Usually cook chicken skins side up first before cooking the entire chicken, especially if it comes from a broiler. You want the skin to be crisp and brown, which means it will cook evenly throughout the whole chicken. Plus, youll get the best flavor out of every bite. If youre cooking a whole bird, however, take the time to cook it all over, so the bones are brown and the flesh is tender. This will ensure that the inside is cooked well, too. And remember, this is a great way to make sure the breast meat is fully cooked, since it needs to stay moist during the cooking process. Also, dont forget to remove the giblets from the carcass after cooking, either. They add a nice crunchy texture to any dish.
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You’ll These Grilled Chicken Thighs
“Boneless grilled chicken thighs are so easy and stress-free. Everyone is happy to eat these – and I’m happy because they are simple to make!”
Grilled chicken is always a favorite. Be sure to check out my Grilled Chicken Drumsticks in Buttermilk Brine and my Dry Rub Grilled Chicken recipe – be sure to make the Alabama white sauce to go along with them!
How To Bake Chicken Thighs In The Oven
The hot oven ensures chicken thighs are cooked evenly throughout, and sport a crispy skin to boot. Keep in mind that bone-in chicken thighs will take longer to cook than boneless chicken thighs, however, this method works well for all three types of chicken thighs you can purchase.
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A Word About Suitable Temperature For Grilling
Its impossible to tell the time it takes to cook any food without mentioning the temperature youre cooking. For this reason, the most suitable option is to know the safe minimum internal temperature of the food youre cooking.
You should cook all foods to their safe minimum internal temperature to kill food poisoning bacteria. To check the safe minimum internal temperature, insert the food thermometer probe into the foods thickest, innermost, or central part. Once the safe minimum internal temperature is reached, you can take your food out from the grill.
It would be best to allow your cooked food a rest time of around ten minutes before serving. The carryover heat continues to cook your food for some time, even after youve removed it from the grill. Allow the carryover heat to do its work, and it will cook your food to perfection.
When it comes to grilling boneless chicken thighs, as per USDA, FSIS, and FDA guidelines, the internal temperature of the thighs should register 165°F at least once. However, you can cook your boneless chicken thighs further to achieve the level of doneness you love.
Ensure that your thermometer probe goes straight into pieces but doesnt come out the other side and touch the grill grates.
Like Chicken Check Out These Other Chicken Main Dish Recipes:
You can’t go wrong with any of these. The Roasted Chicken Thighs are super easy and among my husband’s all -time favorites, and the Feta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken is one of the top recipes on my site.
- Easy and Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Amazing Braised Chicken and Mushroom Gravy
- Feta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Turmeric Arroz con Pollo
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Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs Ingredients
1. Boneless skinless chicken thighs
2. Plain yogurt. Here is the secret ingredient for this grilled chicken thighs recipe. The yogurt makes the chicken super tender and juicy!
I used plain Greek Yogurt but regular plain yogurt is fine as well.
3. Garlic powder
5. Dried basil
6. White pepper
7. Chicken bouillon powder. Chicken bouillon powder really amplifies the taste of meals especially chicken meals.
8. Salt
How Long Does It Take To Bbq Chicken On The Grill
Average grilling times for all chicken cuts chicken breast, bone-in, leg or thigh, bone-in, 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat. Chicken breasts, breast-side up 5 to 6 ounces 15 to 20 minutes Chicken drumsticks, drumstick halves 2 to 3 pounds 20 to 25 minutes Chicken thighs, thigh-bone in 1 to 2 pounds 25 to 30 minutes Roast chicken breasts in a roasting pan or on a grill, turning once halfway through cooking, until they are cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
Remove the breasts from the pan and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
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How To Cook Thick Boneless Chicken On The Grill
What is the ideal cut of chicken meat for grilling? Its best not to have a thick cut, as that takes longer to cook and is more likely to dry out on the grill. But if you do have a thick cut, how long to grill boneless chicken thighs on gas grill that are pretty thick?
The ideal cut of chicken for grilling is about 5 to 8 ounces, but if you have a cut of chicken that is over 10 ounces, youll have to adjust your cooking process a little bit. I want to talk briefly about how long to cook boneless chicken thighs on George Foreman grill or other kinds of grills when the cut of meat is 10 oz or more.
It is best to pound or butterfly the chicken on the thicker end if it is a large cut of meat. The chicken breasts that are over 10 ounces will be a bit thick to cook evenly. You need to find the larger side and pound it down to even it out. This ensures more even cooking.
To pound the chicken down, use a meat pounder. Want to pound straight down, but instead pound at a slight angle working gently down and away from the body.
To cut the meat in butterfly style, you can use a sharp knife and slice horizontally from one side cutting almost through to the other. Youll make the chicken open up kind of like a book and then you can pound where the seam is and on the thicker side to even the chicken piece out.
If you have cut and pounded correctly, the breast should end up shaped like a heart. This is a good method for grilled chicken breast that is too thick to pound very easily.