Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken Thighs are marinated in zesty lemon and garlic and give a delightful burst of flavor in every bite!
Why We Love Grilling Chicken Thighs
- My family LOVES the bright citrus flavor of these grilled lemon garlic chicken thighs. The marinade is super easy to make and adds so much flavor.
- Grilled chicken thighs are known for their rich, juicy meat. It’s hard to overcook it on the grill making it a staple at our backyard barbecues.
- Since chicken thighs are smaller than breasts, they cook faster on the grill. Making this a quick and hassle-free meal that’s perfect for when your family is looking at you like they’re starving. Just pop the chicken in the fridge to marinate all day and grill when you’re ready.
- My favorite thing about this recipe is that it’s budget-friendly. I can get chicken thighs without having to wait for a sale and the marinade ingredients I have on hand pretty much all the time. #dinnerwin
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken Thighs
CHICKEN: For this recipe, we’re making grilled boneless chicken thighs without skin. You can use bone-in and skin-on thighs if you prefer, just check out the FAQ section below for grilling time adjustment info. Chicken breasts can be used as well. (cooking info below)
LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN MARINADE: To make the marinade, you will need lemons, olive oil, garlic, honey, fresh Italian parsley, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
GARNISH: To top things off I like to sprinkle a little more chopped parsley over the chicken thighs and serve them with some grilled lemons. Regular lemon halves or wedges will work too, but roasted lemons add a little something extra.
How to Grill Chicken Thighs
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, honey, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together until it’s well combined.
STEP 2 Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and rub the marinade all over them so the chicken is coated all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken sit in the marinade for 1 hour on the counter. If you’re marinating ahead of time, pop the bowl in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
STEP 3 When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to medium heat and oil the grates. Then place the lemon garlic chicken thighs on the grill (not touching) and cook for 3 minutes. Rotate the thighs 45 degrees and cook for 3 minutes. (By turning it, you’re making hatch marks on the chicken.) Flip the chicken over and repeat – cook for 3 minutes, rotate 45 degrees, and cook for 3 minutes (until it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees F).
STEP 4 Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving platter. Garnish with some parsley sprinkled on top and grilled lemon halves arrange around the chicken. Serve warm.
Tips & Tricks
- If you chilled the chicken while marinating, I recommend leaving the bowl out on the counter for 30 minutes. This will help reduce the cooking time on the grill.
- You should be able to get about 1/4 cup of juice from 1 lemon. So zest it first and then squeeze out the juice.
- This marinade is great on chicken wings, breasts, and even pork chops. It’s very flavorful, slightly sweet, and tangy. A total knock-out!
- To grill lemons for serving: Cut each lemon in half crosswise. (Remove any seeds, optional.) Brush a little olive oil onto the cut part of each lemon half. Place cut side down on a hot grill for about 3-6 minutes until charred to your liking.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- If you have leftovers or want to fancy up your chicken, Lemon Garlic Chicken Pasta is a great serving idea. I like to slice the thighs and serve them over this lemon pasta.
Chicken Thighs on the Grill FAQ
How long does it take to grill chicken thighs?
Boneless chicken thighs take about 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat (400-450 degrees F) on the grill.
Bone-in chicken thighs take about 15 minutes total (7-8 minutes per side) to cook over medium heat (350-400 degrees F) on the grill.
Cooking times will vary based on how big the chicken thighs are too. It’s always best to use an instant-read thermometer to check that the chicken is cooked through before taking it off the grill.
Should I grill chicken thighs on high or low heat?
We are cooking over a lower heat since there is honey in the marinade and it may burn easily. If there are flare-ups, keep a spray bottle of water available to put them out.
You can cook chicken thighs over medium-high heat. The coking temperature decision really comes down to the marinade ingredients and how much char you like.
Do you grill chicken thighs with the lid open or closed?
You can close the lid, but you don’t have to. I didn’t for this recipe.
Cooking with the lid closed makes your grill more like an oven since it’s holding all the heat in. This also usually leads to fewer flare-ups.
Do you grill chicken thighs skin side up or down first?
Yes, you should grill bone-in skin-on thigh with the skin side down first. This makes sure the skin crisps up nicely. Just be sure to use a lower cooking temperature for skin-on thighs. You want the fat in the skin to render and get delicious, not sear.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Caprese Baked Chicken Thighs
- Seasoned Chicken Tacos
- Huli Huli Chicken
- Balsamic Steak Kabobs
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Grilled Cajun Chicken Wings
Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 lemon zested (see note)
- ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat
- 2 lemons for serving (see note)
Instructions
- Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, honey, chopped parsley, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Place the chicken thighs into the bowl and coat them in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade for 1 hour on the counter, or up to overnight in the fridge.
- If the chicken sat in the fridge, allow it to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. This will lend to a shorter cooking time.
- While the chicken thighs hang out, preheat your grill to medium heat. Oil the grates.
- Place the chicken on the grill, so that they are not touching, and let the thighs sit for 3 minutes. Rotate the chicken 45 degrees for hatch marks and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. (you don't have to make hatch marks, but you want to keep the chicken moving.)
- Flip the chicken over and cook for 3 minutes, again, rotate 45 degrees for hatch marks and cook an additional 3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve immediately with grilled lemon halves, if desired, to squeeze over the chicken.
Notes
- You should be able to get about 1/4 cup of juice from 1 lemon. So zest it first and then squeeze out the juice.
- Cooking times will vary based on how big the chicken thighs are. We are cooking over a lower heat since there is honey in the marinade and it may burn easily. If there are flare-ups, keep a spray bottle of water available to put them out.
- To grill lemons for serving:Â Cut each lemon in half crosswise. (Remove any seeds, optional.) Brush a little olive oil onto the cut part of each lemon half. Place cut side down on a hot grill for about 3-6 minutes until charred to your liking.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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