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Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs

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By: MadelinePosted: 06/20/2022Updated: 06/20/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

These Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs are perfect for summer meal prep. Make a light and flavorful chicken thigh marinade and grill until golden brown.

Grilled chicken thighs on a plate served with lemon and greens

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!

Above view of marinated chicken thighs on a bed of greens

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.

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.

Above view of ingredients for grilled chicken thighs marinade

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.

Assembly of marinade for chicken thighs

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.

Grilled chicken thighs made with a marinade for chicken thighs

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

  • Cast Iron Chicken Thighs
  • Sheet Pan Mustard Chicken and Veggies
  • Almond Butter Chicken Satay
  • Creamy Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

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!

Image for pinning Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe on Pinterest
Grilled chicken thighs on a plate served with lemon and greens
Recipe

Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

Prepare a simple grilled chicken thighs marinade and grill the chicken thighs for a simple meal or addition to meal prep!

Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 4 hoursCook: 20 minutesTotal: 4 hours 20 minutes
Print Pin it Rate recipe Save recipe
Servings: 3 servings 1x

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

  1. Add lemon juice, dijon mustard and olive oil to a bowl with seasonings and mix thoroughly
  2. Add chicken thighs to the bowl and coat with the marinade
  3. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill and marinate for at least 4 hours
  4. When you are ready to grill, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high
  5. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip off to avoid flames in the grill
  6. Add the chicken thighs to hot grill or grill pan
  7. 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
  8. Allow the chicken thighs to cool slightly and then slice and enjoy!
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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Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs?

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About Madeline

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

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Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Caitlin says

    Posted on 7/2 at 6:22 pm

    So delicious! Made it on the grill tonight!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 7/5 at 5:50 am

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  2. Jen says

    Posted on 7/11 at 9:23 pm

    Finally made this and it’s sooo good! Such a yummy marinade and get this…all 3 of my kids loved it too. Huge win, thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 7/13 at 8:20 am

      Ah thank you for sharing!! I am so glad!!

      Reply
  3. Jackie says

    Posted on 2/28 at 9:18 pm

    Was looking for an easy recipe with ingredients I had on hand… did not expect it to be this simple to make and delicious!!! So juicy and tender with amazing flavor! Will definitely be making again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 3/1 at 10:06 am

      wonderful!! thank you!!

      Reply
  4. Alissa says

    Posted on 6/15 at 11:06 pm

    This chicken is delicious! I used some herbs de Provence because I was out of parsley and it was delicious! Definitely a good recipe as is and if you wanted to adapt for different flavors. Another winner 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 6/17 at 9:09 pm

      wonderful! thank you!

      Reply
  5. Beth says

    Posted on 7/21 at 4:09 pm

    Seriously so good and so simple! Will be making this time and time again 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 7/25 at 8:11 pm

      wonderful! Thank you!

      Reply
  6. Susan says

    Posted on 5/29 at 11:50 pm

    I’ve been wanting to find a homemade chicken marinade since most of the store bought kinds have so much salt. I used this marinade on chicken tenderloins and it was delicious! I added some lemon zest, fresh thyme and oregano, too. Will definitely be making it again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 6/2 at 3:34 pm

      yum glad it worked well for you Susan!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

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