Fire up the grill for this delicious grilled BBQ chicken thighs recipe! Chicken thighs marinated in a smoky seasoning blend, grilled until charred and crispy and then smothered in a sweet and bold barbecue sauce!
If you love grilling, try this Grilled Bang Bang Chicken Skewers recipe or crispy grilled chicken wings!
GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN
This delicious grilled BBQ chicken recipe is the ultimate summer dinner! The chicken thighs are marinated in a smoky barbecue seasoning, grilled until crispy and charred, then smothered in barbecue sauce. It’s not only full of flavor but also easy to make and perfect for prepping ahead. Serve these juicy BBQ chicken thighs for your next potluck or dinner.
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Chicken– This recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs, but you can use any cut of chicken! It works great with drumsticks, chicken breasts, boneless thighs, or even chicken wings.
- Marinade– The marinade is what makes or breaks the chicken! This recipe uses oil, salt, pepper, and barbecue seasoning. Use your favorite barbecue seasoning, such as McCormick Barbecue Rub, Stubb’s BBQ Rub, or McCormick Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning.
- Barbecue – Once the chicken is grilled, you smother the thighs in barbecue sauce, so use a BBQ sauce you like! My favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce.
MARINATING CHICKEN THIGHS
These grilled chicken thighs come together so effortlessly and loaded with flavors! All you need to do is just toss the thighs in the marinade and allow it to soak up the smokey, savory goodness.
- Start by rinsing and patting dry the bone-in chicken thighs, then place them in a large bowl or a plastic bag. (I like to use a plastic bag — it makes cleanup a breeze! Just toss in the chicken and marinade, give it a good shake, and throw the bag away when you’re done. No dishes!)
- Add oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite BBQ dry rub. Toss everything together until the chicken is evenly coated with the seasoning.
- Cover and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes — or for maximum flavor, up to 24 hours in the fridge.
| If you’re cooking the chicken right away, allow it to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Otherwise, be sure to keep it refrigerated while it marinates. |
HOW TO GRILL CHICKEN THIGHS
Fire up the grill and get these delicious BBQ chicken thighs on the grill and ready to enjoy in no time!
- Allow the marinated chicken to sit at room temp for at least 25-30 minutes. (This helps ensure more even cooking.)
- Preheat the grill and clean the grates. Once the grill is hot, add the marinated chicken thighs to the grill and cook medium heat until crispy and cooked through. Flipping halfway through cook time.
- When the chicken is nearly done, brush both sides with barbecue sauce using a pastry brush. Let it cook for a few more minutes so the sauce sets.
- Remove from the grill and serve immediately with desired sides.
| Cook time varies depending on the size of the thighs! The internal temperature of cooked chicken is 165°F. |
OTHER COOKING METHODS
If you don’t feel like getting out the grill, no worries! Use another cooking method to achieve juicy and crispy barbecue chicken.
- Air Fryer– Add the marinated chicken thighs to the air fryer basket, do not overpack. Cook at 380°F for 10-12 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes. Brush with barbecue sauce and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Oven– Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a rack. Add the marinated thighs to the rack and bake for 28-30 minutes. Brush both sides of the chicken with barbecue sauce and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Yes! You can totally do both bone-in thighs and drumsticks. The drumsticks won’t take as long to cook, so be mindful.
The internal temperature of cooked chicken will read 165°F.
You can marinade the chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes. To get the best flavor, marinate in the fridge for up to 1-2 days!
Yes! If you want to add some heat to this chicken, use a spicy barbecue or mix in some hot honey into your BBQ sauce for a hot honey barbecue.
You can totally make chicken wings instead! For proper cooking times, check out my grilled chicken wings recipe.
Once the chicken thighs are cooked, store in the fridge for 3-4 days. To enjoy, just reheat in the microwave, air fryer or oven.
SERVING IDEAS
Pair this BBQ chicken with the right sides for the ultimate summer dinner! Here are some great sides that go great with this recipe:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Mac and Cheese
- Corn on the Cob
- Caesar Pasta Salad
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes Casserole
- Macaroni Salad
- Coleslaw
- Dinner Rolls
- Garlic Bread
Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs bone in
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Marinade-
- 1/3 cup oil canola or olive
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp bbq seasoning
Instructions
Marinating Chicken-
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken thighs and add to a bowl or plastic bag. Add in the oil, salt, pepper, and barbecue dry rub seasoning
- Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Grilling Chicken Thighs-
- Preheat the grill and clean the grates. Bring the marinated thighs to room temp, let rest at room temperature for about 25-30 minutes.
- Once the grill is hot, add the marinated chicken thighs to the grill and cook medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Flip and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.
- At the last 5 minutes of cooking time, using a pastry brush, brush the barbecue on the chicken thighs on both sides and allow it to finish cooking.
- Remove from the grill and serve immediately with desired sides.
Leave a Reply