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    Home » Recipes » Grill Recipes » BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs

    BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs

    Published: May 8, 2022 · Modified: Dec 28, 2022 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe images with gas grill and text overlay

    Grilling chicken thighs is an easy dinner using the grill. See how to make BBQ grilled chicken thighs, bone-in and make it confidently with these tips! Let’s grill…

    BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs

    HEY THERE — Are you on instagram? I post quick, easy smoker recipes there @sipbitego.

    Table of Contents

    • Why this grilling chicken thighs recipe is so good…
    • Ingredients
    • How to make chicken thighs on the grill
    • FAQs
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Why this grilling chicken thighs recipe is so good…

    • Ready in about 30 minutes.
    • Super easy recipe for beginners to grilling.
    • Learn when to use direct heat or indirect heat for grilled chicken thighs.
    • Classic BBQ chicken taste!
    • Simple prep. 
    • New to using a gas grill to cook? See my step by step video for beginners (scroll to bottom of page). 
    BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs with skin on and grill marks

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to make this BBQ chicken thighs dish.

    Infographic with ingredients list for grilling chicken thigh

    For grilling chicken thighs

    • Chicken thighs, bone-in (about 8, skinless or skin on chicken thighs)
    • Olive oil
    • BBQ rub, or poultry seasoning (check if it includes salt and pepper or if you need to add some)
    • BBQ sauce

    For serving grilled chicken thighs

    • Cilantro
    • BBQ sauce

    Try making your own honey cranberry BBQ sauce…

    Closeup shot of Brushing BBQ Sauce On Grilled Chicken Thighs

    How to make chicken thighs on the grill

    Now I’ll walk you through it..

    Infographic demonstrating how to grill chicken thighs with bbq sauce

    Quick look at this grilled chicken thigh recipe

    1. Preheat the grill to medium high and season chicken thighs with bbq rub. 
    2. Grill thighs directly over grill flames, skin side down on high.
    3. Move grilling chicken thighs to indirect heat on the grill.
    4. Add BBQ sauce to grilled chicken thighs, finish grilling to 165 degrees F. 
    5. Rest and enjoy. 
    Grilled Chicken Thighs on Indirect Heat on Gas Grill Weber Spirit II

    Step-by-step recipe details

    1. Prep chicken thighs for grilling. Lay out a large surface with a paper towel. Lay chicken thighs on top. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
    2. Season chicken thighs. It’s better to transfer chicken thighs to a large baking dish or platter for this step, because if the chicken thighs are left on a paper towel, the paper towel will absorb the olive oil. Coat chicken thighs all over with olive oil. Then season chicken thighs all over with bbq rub or poultry seasoning. Massage in the chicken bbq rub with your hands for extra good BBQ grilling luck. Let the chicken rub set in and season the chicken for a half hour, up to 4 hours in the refrigerator if you have time. 
    3. Preheat Gas Grill to high, about 500 degrees F. (Note: In the video, you’ll see that on our large Weber gas grill, we light up 2 out of 3 burners, leaving one burner off so we can place chicken thighs there, over indirect heat – aka not directly over the flame – later to control the cooking process so the chicken thighs don’t burn… more on that in the next step!)
    4. Grill chicken thighs directly over grill flames, skin side down (which means they have the bone side up), for 5 minutes with the grill lid closed. Flip chicken thighs and grill for 5 more minutes, directly over flame, with the grill lid closed. 
    5. Transfer chicken thighs to indirect heat (an area of the grill without flames directly beneath it – like on a top rack if you have one, or to a side of the grill without burners lit). Keep them skin side up for this step. Grill for about 10 more minutes, with the lid closed, with indirect heat, until chicken thighs reach about 150 degrees F, measured with an internal read thermometer. Exactly how long to grill chicken thighs (and exact minutes per side) to that point will depend on how high your grill is. Guesstimate within 20 minute, but check with a thermometer. 
    6. Brush bbq sauce on chicken thighs once they reach 150 degrees F. Then close the lid and continue grilling chicken thighs with indirect heat.
    7. Finish grilling chicken thighs. Until they reach the “remove chicken thighs from grill temperature” of 165 degrees F. Measure this with an internal read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken, not touching the bone. It’s important to measure the temperature for each one, as some may finish faster than others based on their size and placement on the grill.
    8. Rest 5-10 minutes and enjoy. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and add a drizzle of BBQ sauce for serving if desired.
    Grilling Bone In Chicken Thighs

    See how to make pellet grill smoked chicken thighs and sous vide chicken thighs. 

    FAQs

    How important is the temp for grilling chicken thighs?

    It’s very important – and depending on the grill model you have, you might not be able to get your grill as high as 500 degrees F. So you might need longer for your chicken thighs to cook if your gill is lower like 300 degrees F to 450 degrees F (medium high heat).

    What if I’m grilling boneless skinless chicken thighs?

    Your boneless chicken thighs will probably cook faster since they are thinner. For these boneless chicken pieces, just monitor the temp of the thighs often.

    What goes with a grilled chicken thighs dinner?

    Try one of my favorite easy pasta sides or a potato salad or kale apple slaw.

    What other seasonings do you put on chicken thighs?

    See my recipe for oven baked chicken thighs for inspiration. I love all types of flavors in marinades and as rubs. Try things like brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, lemon juice 

    Get inspired with easy recipes for a tasty backyard bbq menu – starting with this lineup of the best burger recipes ever.

    Dinner Platter With Grilled Chicken Thighs

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    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about making chicken thighs on grills. Also try my baked chicken breast that’s seared with a ton of flavor.

    If you don’t follow me on instagram you totally should @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel and see the Sip Bite Go recipe collection.

    BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs

    BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Grilling chicken thighs is an easy dinner using the grill. See how to make grilled chicken thighs, bone-in with BBQ sauce.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: BBQ
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 844kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Equipment

    • Weber Spirit 3-Burner Gas Grill (similar to mine)

    Ingredients

    For grilling chicken thighs

    • 3 LBs chicken thighs bone-in (about 8, skinless or with skin on)
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 tbsp bbq rub or poultry seasoning
    • ¼ cup bbq sauce

    For serving grilled chicken thighs

    • 1 tsp cilantro fresh chopped (optional)
    • ¼ cup bbq sauce

    Instructions

    • Prep chicken thighs for grilling. Lay out a large surface with a paper towel. Lay chicken thighs on top. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
    • Season chicken thighs. It’s better to transfer chicken thighs to a large baking dish or platter for this step, because if the chicken thighs are left on a paper towel, the paper towel will absorb the olive oil. Coat chicken thighs all over with olive oil. Then season chicken thighs all over with bbq rub or poultry seasoning. Massage in the chicken bbq rub with your hands for extra good BBQ grilling luck. Let the chicken rub set in and season the chicken for a half hour, up to 4 hours in the refrigerator if you have time.
    • Preheat gas grill to high, about 500 degrees F. (Note: In the video, you’ll see that on our large Weber gas grill, we light up 2 out of 3 burners, leaving one burner off so we can place chicken thighs there, over indirect heat – aka not directly over the flame – later to control the cooking process so the chicken thighs don’t burn… more on that in the next step!)
    • Grill chicken thighs directly over grill flames, skin side down (which means they have the bone side up), for 5 minutes with the grill lid closed. Flip chicken thighs and grill for 5 more minutes, directly over flame, with the grill lid closed.
    • Transfer chicken thighs to indirect heat (an area of the grill without flames directly beneath it – like on a top rack if you have one, or to a side of the grill without burners lit). Keep them skin side up for this step. Grill for about 10 more minutes, with the lid closed, with indirect heat, until chicken thighs reach about 150 degrees F, measured with an internal read thermometer.
    • Brush bbq sauce on chicken thighs once they reach 150 degrees F. Then close the lid and continue grilling chicken thighs with indirect heat.
    • Finish grilling chicken thighs. Until they reach the “remove chicken thighs from grill temperature” of 165 degrees F. Measure this with an internal read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken, not touching the bone. It’s important to measure the temperature for each one, as some may finish faster than others based on their size and placement on the grill.
    • Rest 5-10 minutes and enjoy. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and add a drizzle of BBQ sauce for serving if desired.

    Video

    Notes

    See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/grilled-chicken-thighs
     
    Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video for this chicken thighs grilled on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube channel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 844kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 333mg | Sodium: 631mg | Potassium: 794mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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