These Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs are perfect for summer meal prep. Make a light and flavorful chicken thigh marinade and grill until golden brown.
Weeknight-easy
Easy cleanup
You’ll Learn: How to make a simple marinade that keeps your chicken thighs juicy and flavorful
Worth It: It’s a satisfying, protein-forward option that actually keeps you full
Bonus: Keeps well for days
Prep these juicy marinated chicken thighs on your grill or grill pan!
In the summer meal prep gets a bit easier because I can use my grill like a second stove top. I can prep all of my proteins outside on the grill and save indoor space for other items! I love having grilled chicken for my lunches for work.
For this marinated grilled chicken recipe I opt for chicken thighs over chicken breast because I think they stay juicier when grilled. If you are not a fan of dark meat, you could always just use chicken breasts instead.
Allow the chicken to soak in the grilled chicken thighs marinade to absorb all of the flavor. Once marinated it will take less than 15 minutes to cook this juicy chicken on the grill!
Kitchen tools
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap for covering bowl while the chicken marinates
- Grill or grill pan – if I am not using my grill, I like to use a cast iron grill pan. That way I still get nice grill marks and a golden brown crust
- Tongs
- Grill brush to clean grill grates
How to serve
Once prepared, there are many ways to serve these juicy marinated chicken thighs. I like to slice them down and serve them on a salad. They are great when paired with my apple cider vinaigrette or my green dream dressing.
I also like to make a full meal on the grill and pair this chicken with grilled veggies. My favorite are these grilled sweet potato wedges and a grilled watermelon salad. You could also serve it alongside Creamy Corn Pasta.
I also like to make a chicken pita by placing sliced chicken in a pita pocket with feta, cucumbers, tomato and a little sour cream or roasted garlic aioli.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple marinade ingredients and chicken thighs to make this simple grilled chicken thigh recipe.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Dried parsley
Ingredient substitutions
For a slightly different favor profile you can use lime juice in place of lemon juice. You can also add in a few table spoons of soy sauce to bring a nice umami flavor to the marinade.
If you are not a fan of dijon mustard you can certainly use yellow mustard instead. You can also use fresh herbs like fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary or oregano in place of the dried parsley.
Other ways to use this chicken thigh marinade
Once you prepare the marinade, you can use it for many things other than just grilled chicken. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or breast tenderloins in place of chicken thighs.
You can also marinate beef in this simple marinade. Make absolutely delicious grilled kabobs by marinating chicken, beef and shrimp in this flavorful marinade.
Marinate any protein for up to 24 hours to create a super flavorful final product.
How do I grill marinated chicken thighs?
Step 1: Marinate chicken thighs
To begin, prepare the chicken thigh marinade. Add lemon juice, dijon mustard, and olive oil to a bowl with seasonings and mix thoroughly.
Then, place the chicken thighs to the bowl and coat with the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill and marinate for at least 4 hours. You can marinate the chicken thighs in the fridge for up to 24 hours if needed.
Step 2: Preheat grill or grill pan
Then, when you are ready to grill, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high. Next, remove the chicken from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip off to avoid flames in the grill. Then, add the chicken thighs to hot grill or grill pan.
Step 3: Grill chicken thighs
Next, cook the chicken thighs for about 4 minutes on each side on the grill or 6 minutes each side on a grill pan.
You may need to cook for shorter or longer depending on the heat of your grill or stove. The best way to ensure your chicken is cooked through but still moist is to use a meat thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Finally, allow the chicken thighs to cool slightly and then slice and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Storage and Reheating
Once prepared, allow these chicken thighs too cool completely. You can store the cooked chicken thighs whole or cut them into slices before storing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I like to cut these into slices before storing and then enjoy the leftovers cold on salads. If you want to eat the leftovers warm, gently reheat them in the oven or toaster oven until they are just warmed through.
If you cannot cook these chicken thighs within 12 hours of marinating them, you can freeze chicken with the marinade on it. Then, once you are ready to eat, defrost the chicken and cook immediately after defrosting.
Check out these other chicken thigh recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add lemon juice, dijon mustard and olive oil to a bowl with seasonings and mix thoroughly
- Add chicken thighs to the bowl and coat with the marinade
- Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill and marinate for at least 4 hours
- When you are ready to grill, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high
- Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip off to avoid flames in the grill
- Add the chicken thighs to hot grill or grill pan
- Cook for about 4 minutes on each side on grill, 6 minutes each side on grill pan – you may need shorter or longer depending on the heat of your grill or stove – the best way to ensure your chicken is cooked through but still moist is to use a meat thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 165F
- Allow the chicken thighs to cool slightly and then slice and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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