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Grilled Chicken Thighs

5 from 7 votes
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By: the Evinks16 Comments
Posted: 02/22/23

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Grilled chicken thighs collage. Top image of plated grilled chicken thighs, bottom image of chicken thighs being cooked on the pan.
Grilled chicken thighs collage. Top image of grilled thighs on the pan, bottom image of uncooked chicken thighs on the pan.
Grilled chicken thighs pinterest image. Unmixed seasoning ingredients in a glass bowl.
Grilled chicken thighs being cooked on a pan.
Grilled chicken thighs collage. Top image of plated grilled chicken thighs, bottom image of chicken thighs cooking on the grill.
Grilled chicken thighs collage. Top image of grilled thighs on the pan, bottom image of uncooked chicken thighs on the pan.

These are the Best Grilled Chicken Thighs – they are quick, easy, and loaded with flavor! These bone-in chicken thighs are juicy and perfect for a quick dinner recipe. They’re seasoned with a simple sweet and smoky dry rub and they only take 30 minutes!

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While these grilled chicken thighs make a stellar meal all on their own, don’t forget to pair them with a nice side of grilled vegetables or grilled sweet potatoes. These are so great to make for a nice weekend meal or even a fun snack to enjoy while watching the big game!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Chicken thighs on red plate

Get ready to devour these grilled chicken thighs because they’re just so good! Tender and juicy plus perfectly seasoned with a few pantry staples that come together to give them an amazing flavor!

We use bone-in thighs for the best flavor – the bone helps distribute the heat while they’re grilling so the meat cooks evenly and is juicy and tender.

We love that you can have this chicken thighs recipe done on the grill in 30 minutes! It’s a great weeknight meal. Another one of our favorite easy chicken dinners on the grill is Pineapple Chicken!

Why You’ll Love these Grilled Chicken Thighs!

  • Cooked on the grill, so juicy and tender!
  • Using a this easy dry rub gives them so much extra flavor!
  • Did we say, dinner in 30 minutes? High five for an easy dinner your family will love.
Glass bowl with chicken rub before mixing

Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Thighs

  • Bone-in chicken thighs – you can also use boneless chicken thighs, but be sure to reduce the grilling time. They don’t take as long.
  • Rub – A mix of brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt and garlic powder. Or grab a bottle of our famous BBQ Chicken rub!

How To Grill Chicken Thighs

  • Make Seasoning – Using a small bowl, combine all the spices together to make the seasoning.
  • Seasoning Chicken Thighs – Trim any excess skin and fat from the thighs and blot dry with paper towel. This will give you that crispy skin so don’t skip this step! Then rub the entire thigh with the seasoning mixture.
  • Grill – Once preheated to 450 degrees F, place thighs skin side up on the grill grates and grill for 10 minutes before flipping and grilling for another 10 minutes.
  • Rest – Once the internal temperature has reached 185 degrees, you can remove the chicken pieces from the grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. This let’s the juices redistribute in the chicken and gives you that juicy chicken thigh you want! Don’t skip this step.
Wooden cutting board with seasoned chicken thighs
Bowl with mixed chicken rub
Grill pan with seasoned chicken thighs
Grill pan with grilled chicken thighs

Boneless or Bone-In Chicken Thighs?

Either will work for this recipe! We prefer the bone-in chicken thigh because we think that it gives it more taste and the end result is juicer, but boneless chicken thighs are great too.

Remember bone-in chicken thighs will take a few minutes longer per side to cook than boneless chicken thighs so if you use boneless check the temperature before the 10 minutes is up per side.

Add BBQ Sauce!

Sometimes to mix it up we give our chicken thighs a coating of BBQ Sauce at the end. The result is the perfect sticky sweet chicken thighs with so much flavor.

At the end of grilling the chicken thighs make sure the skin is up and baste them with BBQ Sauce. Then close the grill lid and let them grill over indirect heat for a few more minutes until the sauce is caramelized.

What Temperature Should Chicken Thighs Be Grilled To?

The internal temperature of the chicken thigh needs to be at 165 degrees F. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh to check the temperature. Make sure to use an instant read thermometer to check this.

I’ll be honest I usually cook them until they are close to the 180-190 degrees F. That gets rid of any of that bloody tissue around the bones and they are still juicy and delicious!

Tips for the Best Grilled Chicken Thighs!

  • Want to marinate your chicken thighs? You can coat them in the dry rub and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours. This is a dry marinade method and it will just give them so much flavor. Or, skip the dry rub and use my chicken marinade recipe!
  • Make certain that the grill is preheated before adding on the chicken thighs. This will ensure they develop a nice crispy crust as you grill them.
  • Use an instant read thermometer to check the inside temperature of the chicken to make sure it’s 165 degrees F. This isn’t something that you want to guess or estimate.
  • When grilling, make sure to maintain medium heat, if you turn up the grill to high the skin will burn and the chicken won’t be fully cooked on the inside. This will also cause them to dry out.
  • Don’t forget to let them rest, which let’s the juices redistribute in the meat and makes the chicken thighs juicy!
  • Mix up a batch of our Chicken Seasoning so you can throw it on chicken thighs anytime you want them!

Serving Suggestions

There are so many side dishes that you can serve alongside this dish.

  • Think Grilled Cauliflower, Grilled Zucchini, or even Grilled Sweet Potatoes.
  • And if you’re craving something sweet, whip up a batch of Grilled Pineapple as well!

How to Store Leftover Chicken

Let the chicken cool completely then place in an airtight container. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

What to Do with Leftover Grilled Chicken Thighs?

Don’t worry if you have leftovers there are so many ways to repurpose them. In fact sometimes we double this so we have leftovers. It’s a great way to meal prep for lunches during the week.

  • Make a Chicken Salad: Just shred the leftover meat and discard the bones. Then use it in your favorite salad.
  • Make Pulled Chicken Sandwiches: Shred the meat again and warm with BBQ Sauce. Pile on top of a bun and you have an easy BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich which is perfect for busy nights.
Red plate with grilled chicken thighs

These grilled chicken thighs smell amazing while they’re grilling and every bite is so juicy and full of flavor! We make them all year, but they are a must for summer grilling. Don’t miss out – give them a try this week!

More Easy Grilled Chicken Recipes!

Here are a few more easy chicken recipes we love!

  • Pulled Chicken Sandwiches are made with grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs and a root beer BBQ sauce!
  • Teriyaki Chicken is so easy to make with my quick teriyaki marinade made with soy sauce, spices, and brown sugar for a sweet, tangy, savory flavor.
  • Bruschetta Chicken is a wuick and healthy grilled chicken breast recipe topped with bruschetta!
  • BBQ Chicken is slow cooked on your grill and covered in BBQ Sauce!

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Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling so I can see your grilling masterpieces!

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5 from 7 votes

Grilled Chicken Thighs

Quick and easy grilled chicken thighs with a simple seasoning for tender, juicy bone-in chicken thighs!
Prep:15 mins
Cook:10 mins
Resting Time:5 mins
Total:30 mins
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
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Instructions

  • Clean and grease grill or grill pan. Preheat grill to 450 degrees or grill pan over medium heat.
  • In a small bowl combine spices for seasoning.
  • While grill is preheating, trim thighs of any trim-able fat and extra skin if there is any. Blot the thighs dry with a paper towel. This is to make sure you get that crispy skin.
  • Rub the mixed seasoning over the the thighs and make sure to cover entire thigh. Let rest at room temperature until grill is preheated.
  • Place thighs on grill with skin side up. Grill for 10 minutes then flip onto other side. Grill for an additional 10 minutes with the skin side down. They are done at 165 degrees F, but we like to grill to 180-185 degrees F so the part around the bone isn't bloody. They will not be dried out.
  • Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute into the meat and give you juicy chicken thighs.

Tips

  • Make certain that the grill is preheated before adding on the chicken thighs. This will ensure that you give them a nice crispy crust as you grill them.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the inside temperature of the chicken to make sure it’s 165 degrees F.
  • When grilling make sure to keep a medium heat, if you turn up the grill to high the skin will burn and the chicken won’t get done. This will also cause them to dry out.
  • Don’t forget to let them rest, which let’s the juices redistribute in the meat and makes the chicken thighs juicy!

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 217kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 2g (1%), Protein: 16g (32%), Fat: 16g (25%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Cholesterol: 94mg (31%), Sodium: 366mg (16%), Potassium: 213mg (6%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 260IU (5%), Calcium: 8mg (1%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
© Gimme Some Grilling ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

Did you make this?

Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @gimmesomegrilling. I love seeing what you made!

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Meet the Evinks

Hi! We are Jason & Julie! We focus on easy, simple recipes that everyone can tackle on their smoker and grills that the entire family will enjoy!

Read more...

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Recipe Rating




  1. Kathy D says

    Posted on 6/6/22 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent rub that tasted so perfect on the chicken thighs. It was truly done in about 30 minutes, too. Can’t beat it for ease of prep and flavor. Thanks!

    Reply
    • the Evinks says

      Posted on 6/9/22 at 8:33 am

      Wonderful to hear Kathy! Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!

      Reply
  2. Tara says

    Posted on 2/24/20 at 4:42 pm

    Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices, too. It adds that little extra something that makes a dish special!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 2/25/20 at 9:23 pm

      Yes! I totally agree!

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    Posted on 2/24/20 at 3:35 pm

    5 stars
    These look SO good! Can’t wait for grilling season!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 2/25/20 at 9:23 pm

      I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply
  4. Trang says

    Posted on 2/24/20 at 3:01 pm

    5 stars
    I love how simple this is. It really enhances the chicken without overpowering it!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 2/25/20 at 9:24 pm

      Yes! I agree!

      Reply
  5. Beth says

    Posted on 10/23/19 at 2:55 am

    5 stars
    I was sold as soon as I saw smoked paprika! These look fabulous!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 10/24/19 at 7:56 pm

      Thank you! They are pretty delicious!

      Reply
  6. Nellie Tracy says

    Posted on 10/23/19 at 2:34 am

    5 stars
    The BEST way to prepare chicken! Love this recipe!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 10/24/19 at 7:55 pm

      Yes! So glad you loved it!

      Reply
  7. Malinda Linnebur says

    Posted on 10/22/19 at 6:55 pm

    5 stars
    Loved these! They were simple to make and the whole family loved them so much I didn’t have any leftovers!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 10/24/19 at 7:55 pm

      Awesome! I’m so happy you and your family loved them!

      Reply
  8. Danielle Green says

    Posted on 10/20/19 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    Great grilling tips – especially for the charcoal grill user!

    Reply
    • Megan Mitzel says

      Posted on 10/21/19 at 9:03 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply

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Hi! We are Jason & Julie! We focus on easy, simple recipes that everyone can tackle on their smoker and grills that the entire family will enjoy!

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