Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs (2023)

FAQs

What temperature do you grill boneless, skinless chicken thighs? ›

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (between 400-450 degrees F). Grill hot and fast! Place chicken thighs on grill grates, and grill them for approximately 6-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F.

Grill boneless, skinless chicken thighs for 7-10 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165° F. Using an instant read thermometer is the best way to check if your chicken is done. Be sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

Tips for Grilling Boneless Chicken Thighs

Grill over medium/high heat: cook the thighs at around 400ºF for around 4-5 minutes on each side. Grill over direct heat: we prefer grilling boneless chicken thighs over direct heat so they get those gorgeous char marks.

If you're cooking it between 325°F and 350°F, you'll want to cook them for about 5-6 minutes on both sides. You'll want to be sure to use a digital thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of your chicken thighs has reached 165°F at the thickest part.

For Boneless Chicken Thighs, Direct Heat Is Best

While bone-in chicken parts do best over indirect heat, "boneless thighs benefit from a quick cook over direct high heat for 8 to 10 minutes," Perry says.

Set grill or grill pan to medium-high. Toss chicken with oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add chicken to grill and cook 6–8 min. Flip and cook on the other side for an additional 6–8 min., until a meat thermometer reads 165°F.

Grill with skin down first so it crisps up nicely.

Keep skin side down for 3-5 minutes and then flip over. You will then keep it skin-side up for the duration of the cooking time. If you cook the skin-side longer than 3-5 minutes, the skin will become over-cooked and super, SUPER crispy!

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat, about 350°F – 375°F. Cook the chicken over the heat for 4 minutes per side, until the pieces turn golden and grill marks appear. The lid should be closed throughout the cooking process.

Thigh and leg meat are rich in flavor. They take longer to cook than breast meat, about 25 to 30 minutes on the grill. Cook to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.

For the Best Thighs, Crank Up the Heat

Whether they're on a sheet pan, in a skillet, or in a saucy marinade, the best temperature for cooking boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the oven is between 400°F and 450°F, with 425°F being the temperature we rely on most often.

How do you know when boneless skinless chicken thighs are done? ›

You'll know the chicken thighs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. For the most accurate temperature reading, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, taking care to avoid touching the bone for bone-in chicken thighs (this leads to an inaccurate reading).

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook quickly, in 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size. Bone-in thighs, however, take a bit more time, between 25 and 30 minutes. Use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thighs.

Grill boneless skinless chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes at medium-high temperature (450F) on a gas grill, until the internal temperature of the meat is 165 F.

Heat your grill to between 425 and 450°F for chicken breasts.

For boneless chicken thighs, 375°F is a good temperature to cook at. It should take between 25-35 minutes for them to be cooked through. Its best to use an oven thermometer to ensure that your oven is heating up to the correct temperature before cooking your chicken.

Close the top.

If your grill has a cover, always cook your chicken with the cover down. It will make your grill more oven-like, and your food will cook more evenly. Also, because the cover cuts off some of the oxygen, you'll have fewer flare-ups.

Grilling dark meat like chicken thighs with bones and skin intact is your best option for tender juicy chicken. Chicken breasts are much more likely to dry out on the grill.

Right before you put the chicken on the grill grate, wipe off any excess marinade then pull the chicken skin taut over the meat to cover it as much as possible. If there's extra skin on thighs (lucky you!), wrap it over the skinless parts. This will help the skin brown evenly and keep the meat under it more tender.

Preheat the grill to medium high and season chicken thighs with bbq rub. Grill thighs directly over grill flames, skin side down on high. Move grilling chicken thighs to indirect heat on the grill. Add BBQ sauce to grilled chicken thighs, finish grilling to 165 degrees F.

Set the burners on your Weber grill to Low and let the grill preheat for 15-20 minutes. Place the chicken thighs on the grill skin side down. Let the chicken grill and flip it every ten minutes. Grill for about 40-45 minutes until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 175F.

How to make crispy chicken skin on the grill? ›

Season the chicken skin with salt and grill skin side down over moderately low heat until the fat has rendered and the skin is nice and crisp. Keep the heat low — if it gets too high, the fat will sear and not cook slowly and melt away. Flip the chicken and grill for a few minutes skin side up until cooked through.

The USDA says that as long as all parts of the chicken have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165°, it is safe to eat. Color does not indicate doneness. The USDA further explains that even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices.

I think 1-4 hours is the perfect time for letting this mixture sit on the chicken, but you can leave it longer. You can even use it right before grilling, and not let it sit at all. But I think the flavor is best when it has a chance to “marinate” into the chicken.

Bake the chicken for about 13 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover thighs in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.

Oil the chicken before grilling

This process helps prevent sticking to the grill. The oil also dissolves and releases more fat-soluble flavor compounds in the seasoning for better tasting meat. Oil also provides a protective layer on the dried spices to reduce the amount of burning.

Let it sit for five or 10 minutes (or as much as 15 minutes for a whole chicken or 20 minutes for a large roast) and your meat will be as it should be -- juicy and tender. There's a scientific reason for this. As meat cooks, the protein fibers tighten and contract, squeezing out the juices.

Should You Wash Chicken? No. Do not wash chicken (or any other raw meat for that matter). Rinsing raw chicken in the sink can spread harmful bacteria all over and around the sink, as well as spray water droplets outside of the sink and into other areas of your kitchen.

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. That's because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.

Grill, covered, until a thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into thickest part of a chicken thigh, 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway through grilling. Remove from grill, cover in foil and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Leg and thigh meat is still safe at 165°F, but it is recommended to cook it to an internal temperature of about 170-175°F (77-79°C).

How long to cook chicken thighs at 400? ›

It also keeps the meat more tender. I like to bake chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes. Checking the chicken with a meat thermometer gives the best reading to find out if they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

So boneless, skinless thighs can be a good buy if they don't cost more than twice the price of the bone-in, skin-on kind. If boneless thighs are more than twice as expensive, consider buying bone-in thighs and removing the skin and bones yourself. It's relatively easy if you have a small, sharp knife.

Poke the meat to see if juices are red or clear

For properly cooked chicken, if you cut into it and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.

The difference in cook times for chicken thighs and chicken breasts is negligible in most cases. Chicken thigh meat takes longer to cook because it's more dense, so if you have a breast and a thigh of identical size, the thigh will need more cooking time.

Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange skin-side down. Broil for 5 minutes. Flip and broil, until skin is crispy and golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165 ºF, 8 to 10 minutes.

Way More Flavorful

Any good cook knows that fat is flavor, and that is yet another reason why thighs are superior to breasts. Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts.

The white goo is primarily water and protein. Protein from poultry meat is easily digested, which means it's denatured quickly through the cooking process, so it leaches out water, bringing out soluble protein.

Grill – Once preheated to 450 degrees F, place thighs skin side up on the grill grates and grill for 10 minutes before flipping and grilling for another 10 minutes. Rest – Once the internal temperature has reached 185 degrees, you can remove the chicken pieces from the grill and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.

Boneless Chicken Thighs: We recommend 5-6 minutes on each side, using the lid-on technique. If they have skin, start with skin side down. Bone-In Chicken Thighs: We recommend 10 minutes on each side, transferring to indirect heat, placing the lid on, and grilling 15 minutes on the other side.

Cook the chicken thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F. For boneless skinless thighs, the cook time will be approximately 10 to 14 minutes over medium heat (325-350F), depending on the size of the thighs.

How do you grill chicken without drying it out? ›

Brine Before Grilling to Prevent Dry, Rubbery Chicken

Brining is simply submerging the chicken in a salt-water solution before grilling. This prevents the chicken from overcooking on the grill and also helps it get great grill marks, as the increased surface moisture and sugars brown quickly.

If you cook the chicken on too hot a grill, the skin will burn before the flesh cooks. Medium-low is the best temperature on a charcoal grill, and medium on a gas grill. This way, you'll crisp the skin and avoid flareups. Dark meat on the bone is more flavorful and will stay juicier on the grill.

Grill over medium/high heat: cook the thighs at around 400ºF for around 4-5 minutes on each side. Grill over direct heat: we prefer grilling boneless chicken thighs over direct heat so they get those gorgeous char marks.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (between 400-450 degrees F). Grill hot and fast! Place chicken thighs on grill grates, and grill them for approximately 6-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F.

How long to bake boneless chicken thighs at 400F/200C is 25 - 30 minutes. For how long to cook boneless chicken thighs at 350F/175C is 30 - 35 minutes. At 425F/ 220C degrees Fahrenheit bake for 20-25 minutes.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high, 425˚F. When it reaches temperature, turn off burners in one area to create an indirect heat, cool zone. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, on the cool side of the barbecue and close the lid. Increase burners in hot zone as needed to maintain a temperature of about 425˚F.

Grill the thighs over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Remove from the grill.

You'll want to bake these at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes without moving or turning them during the process. This temperature and time ensure that crispy outside and juicy inside we're looking for. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before being consumed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place chicken thighs in a baking dish; season both sides with garlic powder and onion flakes. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

Flip your Chicken often.

If your chicken sticks to the grill, then your chicken will fall apart and you will lose some of the delicious flavor. In fact, we flip the chicken within the first minute it goes on the grill and again every 2- 3 minutes until it is done.

Can you grill chicken at 400? ›

Grill chicken breasts over direct heat at 400ºF for around 7-8 minutes. Then, flip chicken breasts and continue cooking for 8-10 more minutes. You know the chicken breast is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 160ºF - 165ºF. Remove from the grill and let rest* for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Preheat a gas grill to medium (350°F to 400°F) on one side, or push hot coals to 1 side of a charcoal grill. Place chicken thighs, skin side down, on oiled grates over lit side of the grill. Grill, covered, until skin is well marked and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.

Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). Grill the chicken, skin side up, over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, until golden brown, about 30 minutes.