These grilled boneless chicken thighs are juicy, tender and full of flavor. Their easy prep makes them perfect for outdoor entertaining. Serve them with anything you like!
If you are looking for an easy marinade for grilled chicken thighs, then you are at the right place. This simple blend of every-day ingredients adds a ton of flavor to the meat and when grilled to perfection, it turns these grilled boneless chicken thighs into a finger-licking dinner.
My recommendations for side dishes would definitely be Greek salad or cucumber tomato salad, Parmesan roasted potatoes or garlic smashed potatoes. But the best side dish is the one you like so if you have a favorite one, go ahead and make it!
How to make grilled boneless chicken thighs
First, get a bowl that is large enough to hold all the thighs. You can also use a Ziploc bag, if you like.
Then, add the ingredients for the marinade and mix well.
For these grilled boneless chicken thighs, I made a simple marinade with paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and finely chopped parsley.
Then, add the thighs in and coat them in the mixture. Make sure all the thighs are well coated before covering the bowl with cling film or closing the Ziploc bag.
Let the meat rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before grilling. The longer you leave it in the fridge the better.
You can also make the prep for these chicken thighs ahead of time and marinate the meat overnight, if you like.
How long to grill boneless chicken thighs?
It takes about 10-12 minutes for these boneless chicken thighs to be ready. Now bear in mind that the time may vary slightly. This will depend on how thick the pieces are and also, on your grill.
If in doubt, please use a food thermometer to check if the thighs are ready. The internal temperature has to reach 165°F (75°C). Always make sure you check the thickest part of the meat.
Tips for making grilled boneless chicken thighs
Marinade – at first, it may seem to you that there is not enough marinade. However, this amount is plenty for 1.5 up to 1.8 pounds (800 grams) of thighs. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, if needed!
Make sure to use all the ingredients for the marinade – there are only a few of them so it’s important to follow the recipe for the best flavors.
Marinating – even though the prep takes literally minutes, you can still make it ahead and keep the meat in the fridge overnight. Also, the longer you marinate, the more intense the flavor.
To keep the thighs warm until ready for serving wrap them in a tin foil (aluminum foil).
If the grilling season is over but you still would like to enjoy these grilled thighs, throw them onto an electric indoor grill (also a panini press might do the trick)!
More recipes for grilling
- Grilled Turkey Kabobs
- Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken
- Honey Lemon Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Whole Fish
- Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables
Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Recommended Products
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl (or a Ziploc bag), combine paprika, crushed garlic cloves, finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil. Give everything a good mix.
- Add the chicken thighs and coat each one of them with the mixture. Make sure they are all well coated before covering the bowl with cling film (or locking the Ziploc bag). Refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
- Grill on both sides until they are nice brown and cooked through (see note 4).
- Best served right away!
Notes
- Paprika – either smoked or sweet can be used.
- I used 4 garlic cloves which was about 1 tablespoon of crushed/pressed garlic. It was the perfect amount but every garlic is different so you might like to adjust this the next time you make the marinade.
- Parsley – I use about 4 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, but you can use slightly less or more, if you like.
- The time does not include marinating – count with at least 30 minutes.
- Please note that the cooking time may vary depending on the size of the thighs you use and on the heat in your grill. If not sure, always check with the food thermometer first. Mine were ready in about 10-12 minutes.
- I used skinless chicken thighs. You can also use thighs with skin. If you do, I recommend grilling them the skin-side down first.
Paula says
I made this marinade for my boneless chicken thighs last night and it was a win! Everyone ate it up and my son requested it for dinner again tonight! This is a nice, simple and super yummy marinade to have! Thanks!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks a lot for your feedback, Paula. Hope you try some other grilling recipes I have on the blog.
Donna says
Made this for dinner tomight. So easy and tasty! Will definitely make again. Served with grilled veggies.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yay! :) Thanks for your feedback, Donna!
Beth says
Making this again tonight. Made it for a Dad’s day bbq and I didn’t get any but everyone Loved it. Can’t wait to try tonight. I used smoke paprika and dried chives ( instead of parsley) Thank you for the recipe
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Beth! Happy grilling! :)
Emily says
Can you use this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breast?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Emily. I highly recommend using thighs as chicken breasts tend to dry out easily. They would also need way longer on a grill. You could try wrapping them in aluminum foil and bake them in the oven instead. If you wanted to use grill, then I would too use the aluminum foil. Hope this helps.
Nancy says
Great recipe! I used smoked paprika and we grilled the chicken on a BQQ. It was so moist and flavorful. The garlic was roasted and crisp. We have enjoyed it many times.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you for finding time to leave comment and rating, Nancy. It’s always good to hear when our readers enjoy our recipes. Happy grilling!
Candy says
So delicious and easy. Thank you.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Candy! :)
Mike says
Could you use fresh rosemary instead of parsley? Or will that drastically alter the flavor?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Mike. You could give it a go. I would probably chop it very finely and add only a little as it is quite flavorful itself. Then, next time you will see if it works or if more is needed. Hope this helps.
Shannon says
Am I overlooking a recommended grill temp? 350 I assume?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Shannon, I use a simple grill that does not have any temperature setting. However, I suggest somewhere between 350-375 Fahrenheit. The cooking time will depend on the temperature, so please make sure the thighs are cooked through. Happy grilling!
Kitty Post says
Everyone loved this simple recipe!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Kitty!
Cyndy says
The grilling season is over so can I bake them in the oven or air fryer?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yes, you can. You will have to adjust the time and temperature though.
Ed says
Was nervous of the thickness of marinade, added a teaspoon of water just because, very juicy flavorable I printed to add to my big book of do again recipes.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
That’s so good to hear, Ed. Thank you for your feedback!
Kris says
We usually grill out bone in thighs through a mix-up at the store had the boneless & skinless instead. Yours was the first recipe i found and i’m so glad i did. I followed your recipe to the letter, except for putting in some extra garlic, and everything came out PERFECT! Thank you!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Kris! It means a lot :) Happy grilling!
Kara says
This is soooo good and pairs great with made from scratch guacamole. Definitely marinate, totally worth it!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I am happy to hear you enjoyed this, Kara. Thanks so much for your feedback and rating!
Diane T. says
Fabulous and delicious chicken thighs! So easy to prep and grill – I let mine marinade in the fridge overnight. I used 1 TB. each smoked and regular paprika and 2 tsp. minced garlic (from a jar).
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks a lot for your feedback, Diane T. Happy Grilling! :)
Melanie L Coleman says
I tried this recipe and it was fabulous. I marinated for 24 hours. Was so juicy. Thanks for recipe. Will be doing this on camping trips.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Melanie. Hope you try a few more grilling recipes from our blog :)
Yvette says
I made these boneless, skinless chicken thighs to celebrate the start of the May 24 Weekend! (Victoria Day weekend here in Canada). I don’t usually bbq., but thought I would give this recipe a try. They turned out so amazing, I can hardly believe I made them. I bbq’d them at 300 degrees for 15 minutes until they were ever so lightly charred. Omg so juicy and delicious. Thank you for this fabulous marinade recipe. It’s a keeper for sure! Served with steamed, fresh in season asparagus and carrots.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Yvette! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed them :)
Michelle says
These were amazing! My picky teen actually gave me (you) a compliment and ate her entire plate! I used regular paprika this time but using smoked paprika sounds good too so I’ll try that next time – thank you :)
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Michelle. Thanks so much for finding time to leave the feedback!
Betsy Brandel says
Excellent. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Betsy!
Dave says
This has become a family favorite. We have made this several times using paprika and all I can say is if you plan on making it make extra as it will disappear fast! An ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL RECIPE!! Thanks for sharing!
Kristina says
I was looking for a quick dinner to put together and stumbled across this one. It is very rare that I make a dinner that all three of my kids like, and they all have already asked me to make it again. It was easy and delicious, definitely a win win! Thank you so much for an easy dinner!!
Lucy says
Is it possible to use dried parsley flakes instead of fresh?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yes it is. I am not sure how much you would need to use but I would say be generous with it :)
Terry says
I just made these thighs for dinner tonight. Oh my goodness they are so flavorful and I loved the beautiful tasty char on these. So easy too. Maybe next time I might try adding a little sweetness perhaps honey.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your feedback, Terry! Hope you try some more recipes from our blog. Happy Grilling!
Julie says
Easy and amazing! My husband, preschool kids, and I all loved it.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Julie!
Suzie says
I’m eager to try this for a family gathering at the end of the month. Can I grill them the day before and reheat in the oven or will they be too dry?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Suzie, these taste best right off the grill. We often eat them the following day but only as leftovers. Now that being said I would suggest to give it a test in advance to see if you like them reheated. Hope this helps a bit.