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.
Lee says
Would bone-in skinless chicken thighs work with this recipe. If so, how much cooking time would be required.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Lee. I have to say that we have tried grilling bone-in skinless thighs and were not happy with results. It took forever to cook them and because there was no skin on, they also started burning. So I would suggest either using skin-on or boneless (as these will cook quickly and won’t dry out). Hope this helps!
Cheryl says
I don’t generally leave comments. But this was fantastic. So easy, and the chicken came out great after marinating overnight.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Cheryl!
Fran says
This is truly the best grilled chicken thigh marinade EVER! Quick, easy, and oh am delicious!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Fran! Hope you try some more grilling recipes from our blog :).
Larry says
Can this marinade be used on shrimp and pork?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I haven’t tried but I don’t see a reason why not. However, with shrimp I would perhaps be careful with the amount of salt used. Perhaps try using slightly less at first.
Cherie Jurek says
Really enjoyed this meal! The potatoes with the tomato cucumber salad were the perfect accompaniment!
My husband is European so enjoyed the spices as did I!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your feedback Cherie!
Shelley Drummond says
Tried these the other night and they were amazing! I only had a half hour to marinate and they still tasted as if they had marinated for much longer. The spice of the chicken paired perfectly with my homemade coleslaw for the perfect summer meal. Awesome recipe!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for finding time to leave the feedback and rating, Shelley! Hope you try some more recipes from our blog :).
Mary Foy says
This recipe is amazing. Has anyone tried it with B/S breasts? I’m trying it tonight.
Jennifer says
Well this was my first time trying one of your recipes. This was delicious and so simple to make. I grilled it with corn on the cob and broccoli for a nice tasty meal.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you for your feedback and rating, Jennifer! Grilled corn on the cob is our favorite side as well to these grilled chicken thighs :)
Charles says
Made this for my meal prep for this coming week of work.
I am happy as can be with how it came out. Nice and smoky and savory. The only thing I changed was adding maybe half a teaspoon of onion powder, and about a tablespoon of fish sauce to the marinade.
I will definitely be making this again.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your feedback, Charles! Happy Grilling! :)
Joanne Lopez says
these are delicious!
Polly Munson says
This is real keeper recipe! It is easy and tastes sooo good. I rarely leave comments for recipes but had to for this one.
Julie says
This is my favorite recipe. My 2 preschoolers love it too. Chicken thighs seem to be much more forgiving than breasts. Thanks so much!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Julie!
Mary Ellen says
Hi, I thought I had fresh parsley but it’s cilantro. Do you have any suggestions? I have fresh chives, fresh basil, dried parsley….I’ve made this before. It’s a great recipe!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Mary. If you like cilantro, then go ahead and use it. Perhaps use a bit less as it is more fragrant. You can also throw in fresh chives. I would not use basil though. Haven’t tried making these with dried parsley as I feel the fresh one is the best option. Hope this helps!
Heather says
Literally THEE BEST chicken thighs I’ve ever had. Just learning how to use the grill, and I LIVE for my chicken night. So juicy and flavorful AND SO EASY!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS RECIPE!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you so much for finding time to write your comment. I hope you find on our blog some more recipes that you enjoy as much as these grilled thighs. Happy Grilling! :)
Devon Hummel says
I would suggest 1/3-1/2 ( depending on you’re tastes) teaspoon instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. I’ve made this a few times following this recipe exactly (forgetting) and end up having to throw away the chicken because it’s too salty. Adjusted however, this is the best chicken I’ve had anywhere. Girlfriend also loves it. Highly recommend!
Harold says
This recipe rocks. Doubled everything except for 1.5x paprika and 1.5x salt. And let it marinate for three hours. Grilled the chicken on the Traeger at 350 until the temp read 155. Took out the chicken and bumped up the grill to 500. Seared the chicken for about six minutes per side until the temp reads between 165-170. It’s a keeper! Thank you!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you so much for finding time to leave the feedback, Harold! Happy Grilling! :)
Debbie says
I made this tonight! It was delicious! Didn’t get to marinate it as long as I would have liked, but the flavor was wonderful. Used smoked paprika and added a little red pepper flakes. Will definitely do again!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for finding time to leave the feedback, Debbie!
Angela B. says
I love this recipe! It’s one of my go to chicken marinades! I only add 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of cayenne because I love a little heat. Thank you so much for sharing.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you for your feedback, Angela!
Michele says
These are fantastic! I will definitely make them again. They got rave reviews from my family too. The ingredients are so simple, but the end result is outstanding. I may try chicken breasts too and suspect they’ll also be yummy. Thanks for this!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome, Michele! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Lisa S says
Made this recipe tonight & it was amazing!’marinated in a ziplock bag from 6am until dinner 6pm..followed exact. Highly recommend! Thank you.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
That’s great to hear, Lisa! Thanks so much for finding time to leave the feedback! Happy Grilling! :)
Jennifer says
My family, including 3 kids, ask for this regularly. I have cooked this for other people and every time, they ask me for the recipe. A great addition to my repertoire, and I love how easy it is!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Jennifer. Happy Grilling! :)
sharon says
Made these last night. So easy and incredibly delicious! Family loved them – will make them again!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
That’s so good to hear, Sharon. Thanks for your feedback!
Bob Baker says
This recipe was delicious and the chicken was very moist. I didn’t have any fresh flat-leafed parsley (Italian parsley?), so I substituted finely chopped fresh oregano. I really like the flavor it added.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Bob! Happy Grilling! :)
Angela says
Made this recipe for my family BBQ, it was a hit! Great, easy recipe! Thank you!