Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs
Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs are the PERFECT summer dinner, made with boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated and grilled, then smothered with a tangy BBQ sauce, ready in 45 minutes!
Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs are my absolute favorite thing to make during grilling season. They’re guaranteed to come out tender and juicy, and have an incredible flavor that you can only get from the grill! This is perfect for a weeknight dinner because the entire recipe only takes about 40 minutes to make, including marinating and cooking time! Pair this with my summer side dishes like Pesto Pasta Salad or Red Potato Salad, and my Creamy Cucumber Salad for a complete meal.
If you loved this recipe, you’ll also love my Grilled BBQ Pork Loin Roast, and my Honey BBQ Sauce!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Tender and Juicy Meat – Barbecue chicken thighs are dark meat, and with the heat on the grill it’s easy to bring them to just the right temperature to give you the juiciest chicken you’ve ever had in your life!
Weeknight-Friendly – This BBQ chicken recipe takes about 45 minutes from start to finish if you include the time it takes to marinate the chicken, making it perfect for weeknights. Plus if you use the grill, you’ll have less dishes to wash!
Ingredient Tips & Substitutions
Chicken Thighs. I’m using boneless, skinless chicken thighs because you don’t have to worry about using a two-zone cooking method like you would with skin-on thighs. Plus they turn out so tender that you won’t miss the skin!
You can make this with skin-on chicken thighs, but sear them over direct heat then move them to indirect heat until after you add the BBQ sauce for crispy skin.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This helps the seasoning mixture stick to the chicken, and helps it get a nice sear on the grill. You can also use vegetable oil or avocado oil.
Brown Sugar. This adds some sweetness and molasses notes to the chicken marinade, that goes really well with barbecue sauce.
Dijon Mustard. I like to add a little dijon for more depth of flavor. You can also use honey mustard.
Spices. I don’t get too complicated with the spice rub, just some garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. This adds a layer of flavor before the BBQ sauce even touches the chicken.
I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic because minced garlic can burn on the grill.
Worcestershire Sauce. I like adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce because it helps balance the sweet notes of the BBQ sauce. Just make sure yours is gluten free, because it can vary by brand.
You can also use gluten free soy sauce, but leave the salt out if you use this.
BBQ Sauce. Use whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is! If you want to make some from scratch, check out my Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce, and my Peach BBQ Sauce.
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Kitchen Tools
For this grilled BBQ chicken thighs recipe you’ll need a gas grill or a charcoal grill.
How to Make Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs
Whisk together the marinade until well combined.
Toss the chicken thighs in the marinade, then cover and refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes.
Heat the grill to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess drip off, and discard the used marinade.
Grill for 5-6 minutes with the lid closed, then flip over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 175°F.
Brush the tops with BBQ sauce, and flip. Grill for 2-3 more minutes on each side.
Brush with remaining BBQ sauce. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Give these some heat with cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
- You can add the seasoning as a dry rub, but the olive oil will help it distribute evenly and keep it from sticking to the grill.
- Try other seasoning combinations like cilantro lime, smokey chipotle, Italian garlic parmesan, Greek salad dressing, or honey garlic.
- Add a splash of mango juice with some pureed peppers for a mango habanero version (or use pre-made hot sauce).
- Make this smokey with some smoked paprika and chipotle seasoning.
Recipe Tip! Make sure you give the marinade a chance to drip off of the chicken before placing it on the grill, or you’ll get flare-ups when the oil hits the flame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dark meat from the chicken, like the thighs and drumsticks, are safe to eat at 165°F, but they have the best flavor and juicy tender texture at an internal temperature of 175°F-190°F. Check in the innermost part of the thigh with a meat thermometer. This is why I add the BBQ sauce when it hits around 175°F.
Recipe Tip! The marinade needs at least 15-20 minutes to give the chicken a good flavor, but prepping this chicken 12-24 hours ahead of time will give you the best flavor.
More BBQ Recipes
- Smoked BBQ Ribs with Tangy Spice Rub
- BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast
- Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Storage
Refrigerate leftover chicken thighs for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Freeze grilled chicken thighs for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Cooking Tips
- Close the lid of the grill between flipping the grilled chicken.
- Add the BBQ sauce at the end, so it doesn’t burn while the chicken is grilling.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before you’re ready to cook, so it’s not so cold when it hits the heat.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding to the marinade, so the oil sticks better.
- Trim off any excess fat from the thighs, so it doesn’t cause flare-ups on the grill.
- If you’re worried about flare-ups on the grill, you can use a 2-zone cooking method and keep the thighs on indirect heat, so they’re not directly over the flame. If you have a gas grill, just turn the burners on for one side. For a charcoal grill, just put the coals on one side. The side without the fire under it is “indirect heat”, and the side with the fire is “direct heat”. Keep the lid of the grill closed when cooking.
- Use whatever your favorite barbecue sauce is for this recipe!
Tried this recipe? ⭐ Leave a review and share what worked best for you—your tips help other home cooks get the same delicious results!
Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 Grill
- 1 medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, gluten free
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce, gluten free
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and spices until combined. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and toss until they are evenly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes.
- Heat the grill to medium heat, about 350°F-400°F. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and discard the used marinade.
- Place the chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes over direct heat with the lid closed, then flip over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken has an internal temperature of at least 175°F.
- Brush the top of the chicken thighs with BBQ sauce, then flip the chicken and brush the other side. Grill for 2-3 more minutes on each side, until the sauce is caramelized.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and brush with remaining BBQ sauce. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure you give the marinade a chance to drip off of the chicken before placing it on the grill, or you’ll get flare-ups when the oil hits the flame.
- Close the lid of the grill whenever the chicken is cooking.
- Add the BBQ sauce at the end, so it doesn’t burn while the chicken is grilling.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before you’re ready to cook, so it’s not so cold when it hits the heat.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding to the marinade, so the oil sticks better.
Nutrition
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