How Long Should You Cook The Chicken On The Grill
It depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. If you prefer to use thinly sliced chicken breasts, they will cook quicker than thick chicken breasts. The rule of thumb is usually 3-5 minutes per side on medium to medium-high heat. The FDA says that chicken is fully-cooked at 165 degrees. Keep in mind that chicken continues to cook slightly once you remove from the grill.
Why This Recipe Works
Chicken thighs Chicken thighs are tender and juicy and especially tasty when marinated in this cilantro lime sauce. They just really work well in this recipe for grilled, boneless chicken thighs.
Marinades dont have to be complicated, as evidenced by this simple, easy cilantro lime chicken marinade. All it takes is oil, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and a couple hours in the fridge. That cilantro lime taste will really shine through on the grilled chicken thighs!
Simple ingredients You probably have most of the ingredients you need in your fridge or pantry right now. The only thing you might have to get is fresh cilantro, which is at just about every grocery store in the produce aisle.
Family friendly My kids love, love, love this chicken thighs recipe. They dont even question that the chicken isnt the boneless, skinless chicken breasts they are used to. All they know is that its chicken and its delicious!
How Long Should You Marinate Chicken Thighs
For the best results, . This particular marinade doesn’t have too much acid in it, so it won’t turn the meat mushy. Instead, the longer marinating time will develop the most flavor and will yield the most tender, juicy meat. You can also prep the marinade in the morning before you head off to work, so that when you walk in the door tired at the end of the day all of the work is done — just bake or grill and dinner is served!
Since there are days when we just don’t plan ahead enough for a long overnight marinade, it’s fine to soak the chicken for about 2-3 hours. The meat will still be delicious!
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How Much Chicken Will This Recipe Make
This recipe will marinate 1 ½ pounds of chicken, however, it is easy to scale up or down to suite your needs. 4 oz. of chicken is the recommended single serving portion of chicken, but this varies depending on the individual and what sides are being served. I would say 6-8 ounces is closer to realistic.
To Bake Chicken In The Oven

- When ready to cook, remove chicken from the refrigerator and let rest 15-30 minutes ahead of time.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Drain chicken from marinade and add to prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 16-18 minutes , or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
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How To Make Grilled Chicken Marinade
This grilled chicken marinade is easy to whip up! Heres how:
- Pound chicken to an even thickness. Place chicken breasts in-between two pieces of plastic wrap or I like to place my chicken in a large freezer size bag. Pound the chicken to an even thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet, rolling pin or side of a can.
- Make marinade. Whisk the olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and seasonings together in a large plastic bag. Add chicken, push out excess air and turn to coat.
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How Long Do You Marinate Chicken For
Once the marinade is combined, place the chicken in the marinade for at least 1 hour. If you plan to marinate for longer than 2 hours, wait to add the acids until the last hour or so.
PRO TIP: Don not reuse leftover marinade. If youd like to baste the chicken in the marinade as it cooks , be sure to reserve some of the marinating liquid BEFORE adding the meat. Any marinade that is leftover from the meat should be discarded.
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Serving And Storage Suggestions
Serve: You can keep cooked chicken at room temperature for up to 2 hours before it should be refrigerated.Refrigerate: Cooked chicken should be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Dont cut up the meat until ready to reheat.Freeze: You can freeze with the marinade or after cooking. Cool your chicken to room temperature, and place in a freezer or foodsaver bag to minimize freezer burn. Freeze for up to 4 months. You can pre-cut this for salads and sandwiches to reduce thaw time.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken Thighs
Boneless skinless chicken thighs will cook in about 6-7 minutes per side on the grill or in a pan on the stove. You can bake boneless skinless thighs at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will bake at 400 degrees F for about 45 minutes. You can also use a meat thermometer to gauge when your chicken is done. The chicken should register at least 165 degrees F to be safe to eat.
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More Marinades Greek Recipes And Chicken Recipes To Try
- This Maple Teriyaki Marinade is a great easy marinade recipe to add to your list this grilling season.
- Our Greek Pizza is ready in less time than ordering take-out!
- This Favorite Garlic Marinade works with pretty much any protein.
- These Yogurt-Marinated Curry Chicken Thighs is another one of our delicious chicken recipes that is easy enough to serve for company. The lactic acid in the yogurt helps make them ultra-tender and they bake right in their marinade!
- Our Crispy Skin Chicken is an all-time favorite way to prepare chicken thighs.
- This Grilled Halloumi Salad is another healthy Greek recipe to try this summer.
- My Spanikopita Greek Spinach Feta Filo Pie is a great vegetarian option if you are planning a meal for a crowd.
- We used bone-in chicken thighs to make this Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore. They become meltingly tender in the slowly simmered pepper and mushroom sauce.
- Our lemon caper Chicken Piccata is a fan favorite and always a popular choice.
Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on . If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Keywords: Greek chicken, grilled boneless chicken thighs, grilled Greek chicken,greek chicken thighs,grilled chicken thighs
Tips & Catatan Resep Angela
- Sementara Anda akan mendapatkan beberapa rasa dari mengasinkan ayam selama 30 menit, saya sangat menyarankan membiarkannya diasinkan semalaman untuk memaksimalkan rasanya.
- Waktu memasak mungkin sedikit berbeda tergantung pada suhu yang tepat dari panggangan Anda dan ukuran paha.
- Agar ayam tidak lengket ke panggangan, pastikan Anda meminyaki perapian.
- Menyimpan: Tempatkan paha ayam yang sudah dimasak ke dalam wadah kedap udara di lemari es hingga 5 hari.
- Untuk memanaskan kembali: Tempatkan ayam di piring dengan sedikit kaldu ayam dan tutup dengan kertas timah. Panggang dalam oven pada suhu 350 ° F sampai benar-benar panas.
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Angelas Tips & Recipe Notes
- While you will get some flavor from marinating the chicken for 30 minutes, I strongly recommend letting it marinate overnight to maximize the flavor.
- Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the exact temperature of your grill and the size of the thighs.
- To prevent your chicken from sticking to the grill, make sure you oil the grates.
- To store: Place the cooked chicken thighs into an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: Place chicken in a dish with a small amount of chicken broth and cover loosely with foil. Bake in the oven at 350°F until heated thoroughly.
Simplest Best Chicken Thigh Marinade

Marinating chicken isnt mandatory from a health and safety standpoint, but for the best-tasting results, it is best to marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
After 12 hours, the meat will start to break down, especially if you use citrus juice in the marinade.
A good marinade needs a combination of 5 key elements: salt, spice, sweet, acid, and umami.
Herbs are also a nice addition, but not strictly necessary.
This recipe is a go-to simple chicken thighs marinade when you want to serve chicken thighs as a main dish and want something more spice-forward.
- It hits all the key marinade elements.
- I usually have everything I need to make it on hand.
- The combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy ingredients gives the thighs impressive complexity.
To prepare chicken thighs, simply mix the marinade ingredients together, let the chicken rest in the marinade for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours, then follow my Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe or bake as you please. Its that simple!
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How Can You Tell When Grilled Chicken Breast Is Done Without A Thermometer
The safest, and only foolproof, way to check if chicken is done cooking is with a meat thermometer.
If you dont have a meat thermometer, you can test doneness by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken. If the meat is completely white and the juices run clear, the chicken should be done cooking. However, this can cause your chicken to dry out and doesnt prevent overcooking the chicken.
Now that you know how to grill chicken breasts, check out our best grilled chicken recipes.
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Chicken Thigh Marinade Flavor Variations
- Spice Lovers: Like a little heat? Add crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce to taste.
- Herb Lovers: Add additional tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs such as chives, rosemary, sage, basil or dill.
- Asian Style: Use a blend of olive oil, toasted sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh ginger, green onions and garlic.
- Mexican: Use the chicken marinade from my burrito bowl recipe.
Once you try this marinade, youll find yourself using it on a regular basis! Its a great way to turn plain old chicken into something extraordinary.
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How To Make Chicken Marinade
Start by trimming off extra skin and fat on the thighs. Next, place the chicken thighs into a large bowl of water.
Now add 2 tbsp of sea salt to the water and let the chicken soak for 30 minutes. The process of soaking the meat in salted water causes the chicken to absorb some of the water through osmosis, making it moister when cooked.
Next, rinse the chicken thighs and place them into a strainer.
Now measure out the dry ingredients into a small bowl. Add water, and olive oil to it, and stir the ingredients together until theyre well combined. Your chicken marinade is ready.
Which Foods Cause The Most Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The climate impact of food is measured in terms of greenhouse gas emissions intensity. The emissions intensity is expressed in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents which includes not only CO2 but all greenhouse gases per kilogram of food, per gram of protein or per calorie.
Animal-based foods, especially red meat, dairy, and farmed shrimp, are generally associated with the highest greenhouse gas emissions. This is because:
- Meat production often require extensive grasslands, which is often created by cutting down trees, releasing carbon dioxide stored in forests.
- Cows and sheep emit methane as they digest grass and plants.
- The cattles waste on pastures and chemical fertilizers used on crops for cattle feed emit nitrous oxide, another powerful greenhouse gas.
- Shrimp farms often occupy coastal lands formerly covered in mangrove forests which absorb huge amounts of carbon. The large carbon footprint of shrimp or prawns is mainly due to the stored carbon that is released into the atmosphere when mangroves are cut down to create shrimp farms.
Plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts, and lentils generally use less energy, land, and water, and have lower greenhouse gas intensities than animal-based foods.
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Should I Use Chicken Thighs With Skin Or Skinless
Its all about personal preference when it comes to leaving the skin on or off. I prefer to trim off the excess fat and skin, but to keep the skin on. This gives a deliciously crispy chicken on the outside, and juicy tender chicken on the inside.
But dont worry, you can definitely go for boneless skinless chicken thighs and still get incredible flavor thanks to the cooking technique in this recipe and the delicious marinade!
How To Grill Chicken Thighs On A Charcoal Grill Instead
Grilling Chicken Thighs on a charcoal grill instead of a regular gas grill is the same except youll first need to start the charcoal in a chimney to get the coals hot.
Once thats done, place them in the base of the grill and then itll start the preheating process as mentioned in this recipe.
Alternatively, you can also use a grill pan on medium-high heat to grill these chicken thighs on the stove, but I recommend grilling on grill grates for the best flavor!
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How To Make Marinated Chicken Thighs
Ill admit, there isnt much to do here. Just combine all the ingredients for the meat marinade in a bowl and whisk them together until theyre 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 doesnt become contaminated.
Submerge the meat in the marinade, cover, and store it in the refrigerator until youre ready to grill it.
If you like this marinade, youll also love this Chicken Adobo recipe.
If youre just marinating for a few hours, you can do this in a bowl, like in the image above. If youre marinading for longer like 24 hours I prefer to use a ziplock bag. It allows the chicken to be moved around easier, so every piece gets submerged.
When youre ready to cook it, just discard the remaining marinade and put the meat on the grill, as usual.
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 want to skip the oven.
When I cook the thighs in the oven, rather than on the grill, I always crisp up the skin side on a skillet before adding it, skin side up, along with the remaining marinade, to a casserole dish and bake it for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Perfection.
Ready for dessert? Why not try one of these awesome Homemade Ice Cream recipes.
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Kelsey Jane Youngman is a New York-based food editor with over 7 years of experience at Food & Wine magazine. A culinary school graduate who started her career developing recipes in the test kitchen, she has also worked in culinary production, starred in multiple cooking video series, and baked cookies for Cookie Monster.
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½cuppure maple syrup
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¼cupolive oil
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¼cupDijon mustard
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2tablespoonswhole-grain mustard
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3poundsbone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
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Green salad, for serving
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What You Need To Make Grilled Chicken Thighs At Home
Making this delicious Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe is easier than you think. This is what youll need to make it at home:
- Chicken thighs: Ive used 10 chicken thighs for this recipe with the skin on. But you can go for skinless boneless chicken thighs as well.
Spices and seasonings: My recipe calls for some smoked paprika, Mrs. Dash seasoning, black pepper, and garlic salt. It will give you a delicious flavor that wont take away from the perfect taste of grilled chicken but enhance it instead.Parsley: You can use dry or fresh parsley for this recipe. It adds a beautiful color and flavor to the grilled chicken that takes everything to the next level.Olive oil: This will make sure that the chicken is cooked to perfection and the marinade is soaked in properly while marinating.Water: Well be using some water to get the chicken marinade to the right consistency.
What To Serve With Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Salad. Swap the chicken in this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad for diced grilled chicken thighs. For a delicious grilled combo, pair these thighs with Grilled Corn Salad.
- Potatoes. Keep it classic cookout with Potato Salad or use the grill to make Grilled Potatoes.
- Rice. Serve your chicken with a side of Lemon Rice for a tasty meal.
Grilled chicken thighs have the power to make any night more special and scrumptious.
I know youre going to love them, and I hope they are a steadfast answer to your own Whats for dinner???? question too.
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