Looking for an amazing honey garlic chicken thighs recipe? These grilled honey garlic chicken thighs with a honey garlic chicken marinade are super easy to make and taste amazing! Perfect for grilling any night of the week!
Do you like grilled chicken but are tired of the same old grilled chicken recipes? This grilled boneless chicken thighs recipe is super flavorful, juicy and better than any store bought marinade you would buy off the shelf.
Made with a simple honey garlic marinade, these delicious boneless skinless chicken thighs are easy to grill on any gas, charcoal or indoor grill pan.
What you’ll need to make this honey garlic chicken thighs:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Honey
- Olive or Avocado Oil
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- Water
- Minced Garlic or approximately 3 cloves of garlic
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Pepper
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make a honey garlic chicken marinade?
To a small bowl add the honey, oil, soy sauce, water, minced garlic, garlic powder and ground pepper. Whisk the ingredients well until the honey is dissolved into the rest of the ingredients.
Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag or a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken and coating it on all sides. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Why should I marinate chicken before grilling?
Placing chicken in a marinade is a great way to add flavor and juiciness to chicken when grilling. Unmarinated, grilled chicken often comes off the grill rather dry and bland. A marinade will enhance the flavor and keep the chicken tender and juicy.
Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – for this marinade recipe, you could substitute any chicken parts. Breasts, legs, quarters or any other bone-in cut of chicken.
- Olive Oil or Avocado Oil – because avocado oil has a higher smoke-point than olive oil, I tend to use avocado oil more when grilling. This helps the chicken from sticking to the grill and not burning. Olive oil is also a good option should you not have avocado oil on hand.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
How long do I grill boneless skinless chicken thighs?
For best results, I recommend grilling boneless skinless chicken thighs 8-10 minutes total, over medium heat. Grilling for 4-5 minutes on each side will ensure near perfect doneness.
How do I know when chicken is done grilling?
For the safest results, I recommend using an instant read digital meat thermometer. Chicken needs to have an internal temperature of 165 degrees or above to be done.
You can also check for doneness of chicken by cutting into the thickest part. If the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, the chicken is done cooking.
Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Thermometer
This is my go-to tool for grilling and roasting! With a Thermapen there’s no guessing if or when the meat is done. The precise temperature will provide you with meat that is perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious EVERY time!
I use and love my ThermaPen ONE Instant Read Digital Meat Thermometer. (pictured above) Not only is it a helpful grilling tool, I also use it for beef and pork roasts and even my Thanksgiving turkey!
Frequently asked questions about grilling chicken thighs:
Yes. Preheat the grill pan over medium-high heat, and lightly coat the grill grates with olive or avocado oil. Grill the chicken 4-5 minutes per side.
While you don’t need to trim ALL the fat, I recommend trimming off any excess fatty pieces on the edges of the thighs. While grilling, these fatty pieces often burn and catch fire easily.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs will need on average 4-5 minutes per side, being cooked over medium-high heat. Internal temperature of chicken thighs needs to be 165 degrees to be cooked through fully.
Preheat your grill to 375-400 degrees. Grill the chicken thighs over indirect heat for 8-10 minutes total, turning once.
Chicken thighs can be marinated 2 hours up to 24 hours. I don’t recommend marinating chicken for longer than 24 hours, as the protein in the chicken will begin to break down and the meat will be grainy and unappetizing.
Love cooking with chicken thighs? Check out these other recipes:
- Greek Chicken and Lemon Potatoes
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
- Pollo Asado Recipe
- Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken
- Baked Chicken Quarters
- Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters
- One Pan Maple Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
What should I serve with grilled chicken?
Side salads always go well with grilled chicken. Pictured above is our delicious Zesty Italian Pasta Salad. Here are some of our favorite salad recipes that go wonderfully with grilled chicken:
- Pesto Tortellini Salad
- Italian Tortellini Salad
- Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
- Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- Easy Greek Tortellini Salad Recipe
- Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad at LilLuna
- Strawberry Cheesecake Fluff Salad
- Peaches and Cream Pretzel Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Watermelon Cucumber Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
- What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes
If you love grilled chicken, check out some of our other flavorful, juicy grilled chicken recipes:
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delightful E Made.
Sweet and Savory Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Gallon-Sized Zip-Lock Bag Ideal for marinating meats, as it keeps all liquid secure without spilling.
- Grilling Tongs These stainless steel grilling tongs by OXO are perfect for quick grilling.
- Mini Whisk Fantastic for mixing small batch recipes like dressings, sauces and marinades.
Ingredients
- 1.5 – 2 lbs. chicken thighs boneless, skinless, trimmed of excess fat
Honey Garlic Marinade:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoons minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
Instructions
- To a small bowl, add the honey, oil, soy sauce, water, minced garlic, garlic powder and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
- To a resealable bag or shallow baking dish, add the trimmed chicken thighs. Pour the marinade over the top of the thighs, making sure the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate the marinated chicken for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat your gas, charcoal or indoor grill pan. Lightly brush the grill grates with olive oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Place the marinated chicken skin-side down and grill for 4-5 minutes. (Discard the remaining marinade.) Turn the chicken and grill on the opposite side for another 4-5 minutes. Test for doneness by using a digital instant-read thermometer. If internal temperature is 165 degrees + the chicken is done.
- Remove chicken from grill and transfer to a plate or pan. Let rest for 4-5 minute before serving to let the juices settle in the chicken. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Thank you for this great recipe.