How to Grill Chicken Thighs on a Gas Grill? Your Guide to Tasty BBQ!
Everyone loves grilled chicken! Though chicken breasts are more popular, thighs can be juicier and even more flavorful than the breasts.
Interestingly, the chicken thigh is one of the easiest parts of the chicken to cook. This article will guide you through the process of grilling chicken thighs, ensuring your next cookout is a hit.
What Do You Need?
This grilled chicken thigh recipe is not overly complicated. It only requires a few ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- Black Pepper
- Barbecue Sauce
- Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Salt
- Meat Thermometer (optional)
Let’s Begin
1. Prepare the chicken
The first step is preparing the chicken. Wash the chicken thighs under running water until satisfied it’s clean. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Next, coat the chicken thighs with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let the chicken sit out until the skin dries.
2. Set up the gas grill
Gas grills can cook food fast, but make sure it’s ready. Clean the cooking grates in the grill regularly.
Grilling is all about cooking at the right temperature. For the best effect, put your grill on a medium-high flame setting and maintain the flame only on one side of the grill. In this setting, the temperature should be somewhere between 350°F and 400 °F.
3. Sear the chicken thighs
Before you get deep into cooking, you want to sear the skin of the chicken first. Lay the chicken thighs with the skin side down on the hottest part of the grill and cook for a few minutes uncovered.
The searing duration is dependent on how hot the grill is. You wouldn’t want your chicken thighs to burn, so you shouldn’t leave them on the hottest part of the grill for long. 5 minutes should be enough to properly sear the meat.
4. Grill the chicken thighs properly on low heat
Flip the chicken thighs after searing the skin side and move them to the cooler part of the grill, away from direct heat. Now, you can bring down the heat setting to medium-low or low, somewhere in between 250°F and 275°F, but no more than 300°F.
Grill for about 20 minutes with the lid of the grill closed. The reduced temperature and the hot air in the closed lid help the chicken thighs cook slowly. They retain their juices as they cook, and won’t dry out.
The aim is for the chicken thighs to cook “low and slow,” such that the end product is tender and juicy. Depending on the size of the thighs and temperature settings, you may cook for more than 20 minutes.
5. Turn over and baste with barbecue sauce
After grilling the chicken thighs for some time, turn them over and baste with your favorite barbecue sauce (home-made or store-bought).
Cover the grill and cook for another 20 – 30 minutes. Next, turn the chicken thighs over, baste the other side, and grill with the lid closed for another 10 – 20 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer to get the internal temperature of the meat around 170°F. Alternatively, you can poke the thighs in the middle with a knife. If the juice doesn’t run clear, you have to cook some more.
Another way to identify cooked chicken thighs is by the color. While not the most accurate method, checking the color can give a rough estimate of doneness. Properly cooked chicken changes to brown from the light pink color of uncooked chicken.
Turn the chicken thighs over and continue to cook at low temperature until the juices run clear.
6. Sear the chicken thighs again (optional)
If you prefer, you can sear your cooked chicken thighs on the hot side for a slightly blackened look. Move the chicken pieces to the hot side of the grill and place them skin side down. Allow to sear for a couple of minutes, but be careful not to burn them.
7. Serve your chicken thighs as a main dish or side dish
Your chicken thighs are now ready to be served. Paint lightly with the barbecue sauce and serve as a side dish or main dish. However, we recommend serving your tasty grilled chicken thighs with some delicious fresh fruit or salad.
Alternative Recipe
For a tastier recipe, try this incredible mustard chicken. You can enhance the flavor of chicken thighs in many ways by using various ingredients.
Check out our delicious alternative recipe below.
What do you need?
- Olive Oil
- Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Onion Powder
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Mustard
- Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Mix olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, lemon juice, lime juice, and mustard together in a bowl to make a marinade.
- Place your chicken thighs in a bowl and pour the marinade over them. Massage the chicken thighs softly with your hands, making sure that all parts are equally coated.
- Place the bowl in a refrigerator and let the chicken marinate for anything between 1 – 8 hours. Marinate the chicken for at least two hours to infuse flavor.
- Grill the chicken thighs following the steps discussed above
Note: use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs to get the best result.
Conclusion
We’ve shared two simple recipes that explain how to grill chicken thighs on a gas grill. Even novice cooks can master these! Try them next time you fire up the grill! Chicken is a versatile meat with many cooking possibilities.
However, for a simple grilled chicken thigh recipe for your next BBQ, you can’t go wrong with these two killer recipes. Bookmark our blog to keep up with the latest posts.