Grilled Chicken Thighs (Plus Variations!)

We love the chicken thighs at The Stay at Home Chef. It’s super easy to prepare and there are so many different directions to choose from. It’s also very affordable! Whether you’re dealing with bone-in skin or bone-in skinless, chicken thighs have much more dark meat than other parts of the chicken. They tend to be tastier and juicier due to their higher fat content. That said, it’s also more nutrient-dense. There are several different cooking methods that can be used for chicken, and grilling happens to be our preference, especially during those warmer months. Simply season, marinate or glaze it, then throw it on the grill and you’ll be savoring the end result within 30 minutes. It’s the perfect recipe for busy weeknights as well as more relaxed weeknight lunches or dinners. These are the best grilled chicken thighs ever!

Chicken Options:

This recipe works for bone-in or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Use whatever you can find, or your personal preference! If you do use a skinned variety, be sure to trim off the excess skin for best results.

How Long to Roast Chicken Thighs?

Every grill is different, so you may need to adjust cooking times. The best roasted chicken thighs usually take about 7-10 minutes per side. What’s important here is that they have an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. However, we like to cook dark meat to a temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit! You can use a food safety thermometer to determine if they are fully cooked.

How to get chicken crispy on the grill

We like to use our grill for this recipe because it gives us the crispiest results. One way to get the bone-in roast as crispy as possible in chicken thighs (or boneless) is to make sure the grill is preheated before you put it on. The heat can burn the skin if left on the sides for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and continue cooking until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

Troubleshooting: Why Is My Chicken Bouncey?

You need to be very careful about roasting boneless or bone-in chicken thighs as you cook them. If you end up with rubbery chicken, it means you overcooked it and dried up all the juicy goodness! Follow the cooking time instructions on the recipe card, and don’t forget to use your trusty thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

Service suggestion:

This dish goes well with many different sides. The meats are fairly neutral in flavor, and you can use various sauces or seasonings to give them that particular flavor you’re after. With some variations we’ve shared on the recipe card below, here are some side dish ideas for the best roast chicken thighs:

Storage and Reheating Instructions:

You can store leftover bone-in roasts in chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can do the same with boneless varieties. Leftovers keep for up to 3-4 days. You can eat it cold, or you can reheat it in the microwave if you prefer. Heat in 30-second increments until they are fully heated through. You can also reheat them in a 325°F oven for 5-10 minutes or until warm.

If you liked this recipe, you might be interested in these other delicious chicken recipes:

watch the video below Caytlin will walk you through each step of this recipe. Sometimes the visuals help, and we always let you watch our cooking shows.You can find the complete collection of recipes youtube, facebook watch, or our facebook pageor provide a corresponding recipe on our website.