Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs

These marinated grilled chicken thighs are packed with flavor from the marinade, using just 7 easy ingredients. This is your go-to grilled chicken recipe!

We published a recipe for the Best Ever Meat Marinade recently and I kid you not that this is the absolute. best. marinade. ever. We use it to marinade all kinds of meat, but our favorite meat to marinade and grill is chicken thighs.

We’ve got you covered for barbecue season with these marinated and grilled chicken thighs. They have a ton of flavor and they never get dried out like chicken breast tend to when grilling. You can also smoke chicken thighs with great results. We also like cooking them in the air fryer, like these air fryer boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Since you’ll be marinating these chicken thighs in a salty, flavorful marinade ahead of time, they will be full of flavor and plump, so they don’t dry out on the grill.

It’s best to marinade the chicken for at least 3-4 hours before grilling for maximum flavor. I sometimes leave them 24 hours in the marinade, which just gives it more flavor.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs – You’ll need about 8 pieces for 4 servings. If you want to make less, 4 pieces will be great for 2 people.
• Soy sauce – I always use low sodium because the full sodium version is really salty.
• Extra virgin olive oil – A flavorful olive oil gives a lot of depth and flavor to the marinade.
• Fresh lemon juice – The fresh lemon juice is necessary for adding acidity.
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic – Make sure you use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
• Dried Italian seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can mix your own with oregano, thyme, and sage.
• Ground black pepper

Equipment Needed

• Outdoor grill or grill pan for the stovetop – You can make this indoors or outdoors, as it suits your meal plan.
• Bowl or zip top bag – To marinate the chicken in.
• Grill tongs
• Meat thermometer – You’ll want to check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it reaches 165 degrees F.

Expert Tips

• Aim to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Don’t exceed 24 hours or the meat might start to break down from the acidity.
• Make sure your grill grates are clean and well-oiled to prevent sticking. Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. This will help to sear the chicken thighs, locking in the juices and creating a delicious crust.
• Resist the temptation to constantly flip and poke at the chicken thighs. Let them cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes on each side to develop a good sear and those coveted grill marks.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remember, chicken thighs have a bit more fat than breasts, so they’ll stay juicy and flavorful even if they cook a minute too long.

How to Make Marinated Chicken Thighs

Step 1: Mix the chicken thigh marinade

I’ll admit, there isn’t much to do here. Just combine all the ingredients for the meat marinade (which you can find here) in a bowl and whisk them together until they’re combined.

At the point, I always remove about 2 tbsp of the marinade and reserve it in a separate container. I use that bit of marinade to baste the chicken as it grills. Be sure to remove it before you add the chicken, so the marinade doesn’t become contaminated.

Step 2: Marinate the chicken

Submerge the chicken in the marinade, cover, and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill it.

▶ If you like this marinade, you’ll also love this Chicken Adobo recipe.

If you’re just marinating for a few hours, you can do this in a bowl, like in the image below. If you’re marinating for longer – like 24 hours – I prefer to use a zip top bag. It allows the chicken to be moved around easier, so every piece gets submerged.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, discard the leftover chicken marinade.

Step 3: Grill the Chicken

Make sure your grill grates are clean and well-oiled to prevent sticking. Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. This will help to sear the chicken thighs, locking in the juices and creating a delicious crust.

Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F. You might need to adjust the temperature down after the initial searing of the skin, so it doesn’t burn before it’s cooked all the way through.

Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill. Cook, untouched, for about 8 minutes before flipping. Continue cooking for another 8 minutes, then flip the chicken again. Be sure to move it off the direct heat if it becomes too hot, so you don’t burn the skin.

If you reserved some of the fresh marinade, you can baste it onto the chicken at this time.

When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, you can remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Cooking on the Stovetop or Oven

If you need to cook the chicken on a grill pan on the stovetop, just preheat your pan to medium high. Place the chicken on the pan and cook for 10 minutes with the skin side down before flipping and cooking another 10 minutes.

Flip again and baste (if you reserved marinade). Turn down the heat to medium and continue cooking. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. That might take up to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken thighs.

When I cook the thighs in the oven, I always crisp up the skin side on a skillet before placing it in a baking dish, skin side up, along with the remaining marinade. Bake it for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Check the internal temperature of the meat. Continue cooking until it reaches 165 degrees F.

The marinade adds so much delicious flavor and really throws the wow factor over the edge with chicken thighs. These can be made in the air fryer as well, if you don’t want to grill chicken thighs.

Meal Prep

This chicken marinade is a great way to spruce up your meal prep with awesome flavors! Make a double batch and you’ll have chicken to use for lunches all week. Pack it in a container with rice and fresh veggies and you’ve got a perfect meal for the next day.

Questions About the Recipe

Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?

You can use any part of the chicken you want in this recipe. The marinade will taste wonderful on all cuts of meat. The grilling steps are the same. Just be sure to cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Can I reuse this chicken marinade?

It’s not safe to reuse the chicken thigh marinade because it has been contaminated with raw chicken. Once you’ve removed the raw chicken from the marinade, you should immediately discard it.

Can grilled chicken be reheated?

You can reheat your grilled chicken in a number of ways. You can grill it again, you can reheat it on the stovetop, or you can put it in the air fryer to reheat. I recommend only reheating it once, however so be sure to only reheat the portion that you intend to eat right away.

How long do I marinate chicken?

You can marinate chicken for as little as 30 minutes to up to 24 hours. However, it won’t impart much flavor after just 30 minutes. I suggest marinating overnight, if possible. A full 24 hours is not necessary, especially for boneless chicken.

Ready for dessert? Why not try one of these awesome Homemade Ice Cream recipes.

Other BBQ Recipes to Try

• Bourbon Bacon Chicken Skewers
• Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops
• BBQ Chicken Wings

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