Grilled boneless chicken thighs are the juiciest part of the chicken and with this marinade makes them even more flavorful. Perfect for the next summer BBQ.
Have you ever had marinated chicken?
The things a great marinade can do to transform chicken are just magic. That is why creating this marinade for these grilled boneless chicken thighs flavor was king.
I personally think chicken is bland and needs a bunch of help.
Grilling in itself adds flavor but I still think there should be more.
Garlic, a slight sweetness from balsamic vinegar and a touch of rosemary take these from simple grilled chicken thighs to amazing.
Let’s dive in and I will share how I made them and how you can wow your family with the same recipe.
How To Make Grill Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients you need for the recipe
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Oil
- Salt & black pepper
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Balsamic vinegar
Helpful tips before making the recipe
- Flare ups, these will happen due to the oil when you first place the chicken on the grill. Do not crowd the chicken because you want to be able to move the chicken away from the flare ups until the flare ups slow down and stop. Best tip, always have some cool zone on the grill.
- Marinate the boneless chicken thighs at least 30 minutes.
- Fresh garlic and rosemary are best for this recipe. To add, the type of oil you use doesn’t matter as long as it’s a high heat oil. I used avocado oil for this recipe.
Making the grilled boneless chicken thighs with marinade
- To start, remove rosemary from the stems and chop the herb.
- In a large bowl add oil, chopped rosemary, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper and garlic.
- Now, you can finely mince the garlic but I recommend grating the garlic in the marinade. Give the marinade a good mix.
- Next, toss in the chicken and mix well. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator if you are not cooking the chicken within the next hour. If you plan to cook much later be sure to remove the chicken before cooking an hour before grilling so the chicken isn’t ice cold.
- When chicken has marinated, fire up the grill. You can use a charcoal or gas grill. Either is fine but you want to turn the heat up to at least 400ºF. A great tool to use is a thermal thermometer. I use a charcoal grill without a thermometer so I always have one handy with a probe as well.
- Once the grill is lit and the grates are hot add the chicken thighs from the marinade onto the grill. You will get flare ups very quickly but move the chicken away from the flare ups until they stop. This means do not crowd the grill.
- Allow the chicken to cook on both sides flip every 3 minutes or so. Do not close the lid on the grill when making this recipe.
- Check the chicken for temperature around 165ºF* and remove the chicken from the grill. Allow the grilled boneless chicken thighs to rest a few minutes before serving.
Storing the recipe for later
With the leftovers you can store in the refrigerator or freeze for later. Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to use freezer safe storage or a vacuum sealer to store the thighs for months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you close the lid down when grilling chicken thighs?
No, this is a mistake made when grilling many things. What this does is turn the grill into an oven. Then, when you lift the cover up it creates a draft making ash fly everywhere.
How long should I grill boneless chicken thighs?
At a high temperature grilled boneless chicken thighs should take around 10-15 minutes to finish cooking. With this marinade I do recommend flipping the chicken often to avoid burning and to have even cooking.
What temp should the grill be for boneless chicken thighs?
You want a high temp at least 400ºF because you want to get the meat cooked fast. You also want the heat at a high enough temp to penetrate the meat through the center while cooking. This happens at a low temp as well but at a much slower rate. In the marinade some ingredients like the garlic and rosemary will burn if left too long. The oil protects the ingredients for some time but not forever.
What to serve with grilled boneless chicken thighs?
- Macaroni Salad
- Orzo Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Broccoli Salad
Grilled boneless chicken thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless skinless chicken thigh
Marinade
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- To start, remove rosemary from the stems and chop the herb.Â
- In a large bowl add oil, chopped rosemary, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper and garlic.
- Now, you can finely mince the garlic but I recommend grating the garlic in the marinade. Give the marinade a good mix.
- Next, toss in the chicken and mix well. Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator if you are not cooking the chicken within the next hour. If you plan to cook much later be sure to remove the chicken before cooking an hour before grilling so the chicken isn't ice cold.
- When chicken has marinated, fire up the grill. You can use a charcoal or gas grill. Either is fine but you want to turn the heat up to at least 400ºF. A great tool to use is a thermal thermometer. I use a charcoal grill without a thermometer so I always have one handy with a probe as well.
- Once the grill is lit and the grates are hot add the chicken thighs from the marinade onto the grill. You will get flare ups very quickly but move the chicken away from the flare ups until they stop. This means do not crowd the grill.
- Allow the chicken to cook on both sides flip every 3 minutes or so. Do not close the lid on the grill when making this recipe.
- Check the chicken for temperature around 165ºF* and remove the chicken from the grill. Allow the grilled boneless chicken thighs to rest a few minutes before serving.