Weekend night and no motivation to dine out? What if I tell you a super-easy dinner recipe with incredible taste? Yes, I am talking about tender, juicier, and delicious gas-grilled chicken thighs, a perfect cookout with minimal effort.
The grilled chicken thighs are undoubtedly one of the quickest grilling adventures, with less than 15 minutes of grilling. Less preparation time with minimal household ingredients makes them the best choice for serving guests and single-dish parties.
If you own a gas grill and don’t know how to grill chicken thighs on a gas grill, you are missing a lot. In this article, The Smokingrills share all the details regarding the process, ingredients, equipment, and storage. Here we go!
Ingredients required for grilling chicken thighs on a gas grill
The thing I like the most about this recipe is that most of the ingredients will be available in your kitchen already. You only have to gather them and get started:
- 3 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs: You can also use bone-in and skinned chicken thighs, but the recipe will be slightly different and a bit more time-consuming.
For marinade
- 1 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves smashed garlic
- ½ cup vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey/Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Parsley as needed
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon thyme (optional)
Steps to Grill chicken thighs on a gas grill
Gas grilling the chicken thighs is even easier than cooking them over a charcoal grill, as the temperature maintenance is quite easy in a gas grill. The key to tender and juicier chicken thighs is a good marinade. Here are the simple steps to follow:
Marinate chicken thighs
First of all, mix all the mentioned ingredients of the marinade in a bowl. In this recipe, I am grilling the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Skinless thighs are low in calories and better in taste and colour.
Take a zip-top bag and put the thighs in it. Now, pour the prepared marinade and place the sealed bag for at least 30 minutes.
Duration:
The time for marinade is a minimum of 30 minutes (at room temperature) up to 12 hours (in the refrigerator). If you are short of time, at least 30 minutes is mandatory. However, for best results, overnight marination is recommended.
Benefits:
Marinating the chicken thighs will help you get a balanced flavour of sweet and savoury. It tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist during grilling. Hence, marinade is the key to delicious grilled chicken thighs.
Prepare the grill:
This is the initial step of cooking. First of all, clean and oil your grill grates. Oiling will prevent the meat from sticking to the grates during cooking. Preheat your gas grill to about 375 to 400°F.
Grill the chicken thighs
Take out the marinated chicken thighs. If they are refrigerated, allow them to come to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. Grilling chicken thighs requires a total of 10 to 12 minutes, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Place the chicken thighs on the gas grill at medium-high heat.
- After 4 to 5 minutes, flip the side. If they are sticking to the grates, allow that side to cook for 1 or 2 minutes more and then flip.
- Check the internal temperature of chicken thighs with the help of a digital meat thermometer. Remove the chicken thighs when the temperature reaches 160°F.
- Wrap the chicken thighs in tin foil. The residual heat will increase the internal temperature to 165°F, at which the chicken is perfectly cooked and keeps the thighs moist and juicy.
Serving
After removing the chicken from the grill, allow it to rest for some time. Now, serve the delicious grilled chicken thighs with some salad and mashed potatoes to balance the spice. Rice and veggies can also be a good option.
What makes grilled chicken thighs my all-time favourite recipe?
There are many ways to cook chicken meat, but grilling is the best choice of all there as you can get an extraordinary taste with little or no use of oil. When it comes to grilling, I prefer chicken thighs over chicken breasts for certain reasons:
- Chicken thighs contain mostly dark meat, which tastes better than white meat.
- They have greater fat content as compared to breasts. This prevents them from drying out during grilling, resulting in a juicier touch.
- They have a better vitamin and mineral profile than chicken breasts.
- They are a cheap and lean source of protein.
Storage of the grilled chicken thighs
To store the leftovers, place the chicken thighs in an airtight container and put them in the fridge. They can be stored for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F. For smaller amounts, microwaves can also be used.
You can also freeze them up to 3 months. However, before reheating the frozen grilled chicken thighs, let them thaw completely in the fridge one night before.
Equipment notes:
Cooking is a bit of a grinding task. But the equipment choice can make it an enjoyable experience. Here are some recommended tools;
- Gas Grill: The Grill is the basic and most crucial part of summer cookouts. If you are looking for a perfect gas grill with minimal investment, get yourself a Pit Boss 2-Burner Gas Grill for backyard cookouts for a good experience.
- Digital meat thermometer: This is a small and cheap tool, but it can do wonders for your cooking. It is used to check the internal temperature of meat and prevent overcooking or undercooking. So, just grab a ThermoPro TP16 Large LCD Digital Meat Thermometer
- Tongs: While cooking grilled chicken thighs, you need a pair of tongs to flip the thighs. You can get them from a nearby grocery shop in the tools section.
Can I cook grilled chicken thighs in the oven?
The answer is yes. However, you must remember that grilling chicken thighs on a gas grill is better in terms of taste and flavour than cooking in an oven. To cook the chicken thighs in the oven to make them taste like grilled thighs, you need to follow these steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400–425°F.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and your favourite sauce.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Broil them over for 2 to 3 minutes to get extra crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I grill frozen chicken thighs on a gas grill?
To grill the chicken thighs, fresh meat is recommended. However, if you want to grill the frozen thighs, let them thaw completely in the fridge one night before cooking. But, if you don’t have the time to let them thaw, grill them for a longer time, flipping every 4 to 5 minutes.
Q. How often should I flip the chicken thighs while grilling?
Typically, you need to flip only once after 4 to 5 minutes. However, you can flip once or twice more if you feel the need to do so.
Q. Should I grill the chicken thighs over direct or indirect heat?
The chicken thighs are preferably grilled over direct medium-high heat. Direct heat makes them tender and juicier.
Q. Should the grill be open or closed while grilling chicken thighs?
It is recommended to close the grill lid after placing the chicken thighs over the grill grates. This ensures a consistent temperature and even cooking. Open the lid to flip them after 3 to 4 minutes and close it again. However, if you want to sear the meat, you can leave the lid open throughout.
Q. How do I get chicken thighs crispy on a gas grill?
To get the crispy thighs, pat the chicken with a paper towel and use a dry marinade. If you are using liquid marinade, apply the unused marinade in the last minutes of grilling. This will maintain the flavour and tenderness as well. Placing meat in hot water before grilling is also a good option.
