Dean shares recipes for Grilled Chicken Thighs done 3 ways (2024)

by: Dean Richards

Posted: Jun 9, 2021 / 10:01 AM CDT

Updated: Jun 9, 2021 / 10:10 AM CDT

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WGN Entertainment Critic Dean Richards shares his recipes for grilled chicken thighs done three different ways.

Grilled Teriyaki-Style Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 to 2 lbs. chicken thighs, bone-in
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. ketchup
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. ginger, finely minced
• 1 tbsp. sweet rice wine

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pat chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
• Mix all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
• Combine chicken and marinade ingredients in a bowl or freezer bag. Marinade for at least 2 hours overnight.
• Preheat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade and discard any marinade.
• Grill chicken thighs 5 to 7 minutes skin side down over direct heat. Flip and repeat over indirect heat until cooked through and no pink remains, 165 degrees internal temperature.

Grilled Greek-Style Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 to 2 lbs. of chicken thighs, bone-in (boneless can be used)
• 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons juiced and zest of 1 of the lemons
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1.5 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• Garnish with fresh parsley and slice of lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pat chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, oregano, parsley, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper
• Place the marinade in a large sealable plastic bag or a large container.
• Add the chicken thighs and coat well.
• Seal or cover the chicken thighs and refrigerate for up to 4 hours or overnight.
• When ready to grill, pull chicken out 30 minutes before grilling.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush oil on the grill to prevent sticking.
• Place the chicken thighs on the grill skin-side down for 6 to 8 minutes on direct heat, flipping and grilling an additional 8-10 minutes on indirect grilling until internal temperature is 165 degrees.
• Remove the chicken and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and a lemon slice.

BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 to 2 chicken thighs, bone-in
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pat chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
• Add the garlic powder, chipotle powder, chili powder, paprika, black pepper and salt into a small bowl and mix all the spices together.
• Pour the spices over the chicken thighs and massage the thighs with the spices and be sure that each chicken thigh is covered with spices.
• Let the chicken thighs sit for at least 30 minutes in the spices (longer is always better). This will help get the juices flowing and flavor the meat.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure there is indirect and direct grilling space on the grill.
• When the chicken is ready, place the chicken on the grill skin-side down over direct heat for 4-5 minutes to crisp up the chicken skin.
• Flip the chicken and cook another 4-5 minutes on indirect heat. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees.
• Baste with BBQ sauce for the last five minutes, flipping once.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.