Grilled Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar Glaze – Juicy, savory-sweet brown sugar glazed chicken thighs grilled to a tender perfection!
Easy Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe
It’s time to crack open the grill and make room for these delicious Grilled Chicken Thighs! They are a little spicy, a bit of sweet and sticky, and a whole lot of amazing!
Similar to my Spicy Sweet and Sticky Chicken Thighs, this grilled chicken thighs recipe is also packed with bold flavors that even the pickiest of eaters will want to dive right in.
Okay, first of all, let’s pause for a moment of reflection on the fact that summer, technically, is one week away. Let’s also pause for a minute and say a prayer for all those Moms/Dads/Grandparents/Caregivers that work from home and their kids are OFF for the summer Thank You!
And so usually the answer to my decision on what to make for dinner on any given summer-night is, chicken on the grill. With Grilled Corn on the side. AND Grilled Peach Shortcakes!
Anyways, let’s discuss chicken THIGHS and how to grill ’em!
How to Grill Chicken Thighs
The important steps to really juicy grilled chicken thighs include a really good marinade, trimmed fat, and a hot grill.
Getting the best grilled chicken thighs requires just a bit of preparation to make the best tasting thighs that you can make.
- First and foremost, trim the fat. Pockets of fat cause flare-ups when they hit the grill thus it’s best to trim away any excess fat pockets.
- Second most important, if not THE MOST important thing is the marinade and/or glaze. Our delicious chicken marinade, which is also used as a sweet glaze, consists of light brown sugar, soy sauce, hot sauce, garlic, seasonings and herbs.
- As little as 30 minutes of marinating helps get the best taste out of the chicken thighs, but it’s better to leave them in the marinade for up to 4 hours in the fridge. I make a bit extra on the side so that we can also use it as a glaze or even a dipping sauce.
- Third, prepare the grill by preheating it to a medium-high heat. I almost always grill the chicken thighs at around 400F to 425F.
- Before placing the chicken thighs on the grill, please grease the grates with cooking oil.
- Finally, chicken thighs will need at least 11 to 15 minutes on the grill, depending on their size, but I suggest using a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are thoroughly cooked at 165F, but I do not remove them from the grill until they’ve reached a temperature of around 170F to 175F. It’s a personal preference because I find the dark meat to still be a bit tough when cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.
Cook’s Notes
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a good choice because they cook quickly and don’t dry out even if they are a little overcooked.
- The chicken marinade would be just as good brushed onto boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or even wings and drumsticks.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and left in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Are you loving the asparagus up there?! Get the recipe for GRILLED ASPARAGUS and let me know if you liked it!
MORE SUMMER RECIPES
- The Best Grilled Lemon Chicken Recipe
- Jack Daniel’s Grilled Steak Recipe
- Garlic Herb Grilled Potatoes in Foil
- Grilled Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs Skewers
ENJOY!
TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Grilled Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
FOR THE BROWN SUGAR MARINADE/GLAZE
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon or to taste sriracha hot sauce
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN
- Arrange chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl or dish and set aside.
FOR THE BROWN SUGAR MARINADE/GLAZE
- Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, oil, vinegar, hot sauce, garlic, basil, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
- Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade mixture for later use; pour the remaining of the marinade mixture over the chicken thighs.
- Cover and place chicken thighs in the fridge for 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, remove chicken from fridge and let sit in room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat; about 400F to 425F.
- Brush grill grates with oil.
- Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.
- Place the chicken on the grill over direct heat and cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill until the second side is browned, 5 minutes more, or until cooked through and internal temperature is at least 165F.
- When the chicken is nearly cooked through, brush on the reserved marinade/glaze on both sides of the chicken thighs and continue to cook until done.
- Remove from grill and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Serve.
Notes
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
30 Min
Slow Cooker
Freezer Friendly
One Pot
Low Carb
Instant Pot
Gluten Free
Keto
Beef
Can I bake in the oven instead?
Absolutely! Make sure to use boneless thighs and cook in a preheated oven at 425˚F for about 35 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Half way through cooking, baste the chicken with the liquid.
Why can’t you use bone-in chicken ? In the oven ?
For this recipe could I replace for boneless chicken tenders
Yes, absolutely, but those will need less time to cook through. If you can, use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is done when internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
This is an amazing g recipe…..hit with kids and adults so yummy!!
People are asking me for the recipe!
That’s great! I’m very happy everyone enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
First tried this recipe back in January when we had a freakish warm spell. So Good! It is in regular rotation – make it almost weekly. Our favorite for chicken thighs!! Thank you for posting!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! 🙂
Discovered this recipe about 2 months ago and have cooked it almost 10 times now. So amazing! However I just read the part about marinating up to 4 hours. Last night for the first time I decided to marinate over night as I have with other chicken marinades. Will marinating overnight cause any issues? Hope not!
Thanks
Hi!
It should be fine. Chicken can actually marinate for a day or two, but it is recommended to marinate it for less because, chicken may get tougher when marinated for too long in an acidic based marinade.
Super easy recipe! I didn’t have the ginger so I used some Chinese 5 spice instead. Also substituted Red hot wing sauce for the Sriracha. I only had 30 minutes to marinate and still super tender, juicy. Sliced them and used then on a bed of mixed greens it was delicious! I’m going to try a double batch and use it on a pork loin.
Thank you for the recipe! Super tasty marinade. Our chicken came out oh so flavorful. Trying again with pork chops this week!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I didn’t have honey or ginger. I used Frank’s hot sauce instead of Sriracha! I couldn’t beehive I didn’t have any on hand. Soaked for an hour. It was very nice! Even loved the leftovers right out of the fridge cold. It’s a keeper!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Hi , are these spicy ? If so will it still taste as good if I leave the hot sauce out for my kids ?
Thanks
Hi!
I think you should be okay because it’s just one tablespoon of hot sauce for the whole batch. I don’t think it’s spicy at all – it just adds a little zing to the overall taste – but for those that don’t eat anything spicy it might be a bit stronger. If so, you can just leave out the hot sauce and just serve it with the cooked chicken. Those that want it, will use it. 😊
What about on a cast iron griddle pan on bbq
Made this tonight and it was so delicious!! My family loved it!! Thanks for the recipe!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made this recipe last night, and my 9 and 6 yo daughters said it was the best chicken I have ever made. lol
That’s great!! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe!! Thank YOU! 🙂
was going to try this tonight, are these spicy? My husband cannot eat anything with too much heat and I was not sure with the tablespoon of hot sauce how spicy they would be?
Hi!
If he can’t have spicy, then just leave it out, or use just 1/2 tablespoon.
The recipe looks good and I’m going to prepare this afternoon. One thing I find VERY frustrating with grill recipes, in general, is that grill top UP OR DOWN is rarely specified. Please detail in the future as it makes a huge difference in grilling time. In the meantime, I’ll figure it out. Thanks!
Anytime you’re grill, always assume that the lid is down.
Why does this not burn at 400 degrees? Sugar and all. I’m making this in an hour.
I used the recipe on fatty pork chops and they came out so delicious And so juicy. This combination of ingredients make amazing results especially when you grill it. I made the original recipe with thighs in the oven 20 minutes skin side down and flipped skin side up for another 10 minutes for thighs that were sitting in room temperature (not from fridge). Delicious!! Didn’t need to baste. I heated up the remaining marinade into bubbling and poured it on top of the results and it was amazing !!
Very delicious!! Made this chicken thigh recipe last night with asparagus and carrots. Struggling to not have potato, pasta or rice as a side. My husband is not a fan of vegetables except a few. We didnt miss the starch one bit as the chicken was so yummy. Highly recommend this recipe. I will definitely be making again many more times. Thanks
I have no words for how good this chicken is.
ಥ‿ಥ
incredible, thank you for sharing!!
Yay! SO glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Can u use this for a pork tenderloin
Hi!
Yes, you can definitely use the marinade with pork tenderloin. If you also want to grill the tenderloin, here’s a recipe for how to do that: https://diethood.com/grilled-pork-tenderloin/
Has anyone tried this in the oven? or stovetop?
Wondering the same
I have a very similar recipe on here for Oven Baked Chicken Thighs – you can see it here: https://diethood.com/oven-baked-chicken-thighs/
I hope this helps 🙂
Have a great weekend ahead!
Thank you!! Making these tonight.. hopefully the Friday the 13th full moon doesn’t interfere 😉 Have a great weekend!
Whole family loved this…so much we’re making it again 4 days later 💕
This was great way to make grilled chicken thighs. I grill a lot of chicken. This is as good as any I have tried. There is a lot of flavor with a nice contrast of sweet and salty. I will save this recipe and will make these tasty thighs again.
Adjustment to time for bone in thighs?
Hi!
About 10 minutes per side for bone-in thighs, flipping often until cooked through.
1:12 AM rocking these thighs in your tastey marinade again!! Definitely have to finish off with another rub of marinade when thighs come off bbq. Juicy!!
OMG!! i was searching the web to find a low sodium recipe for chicken thighs and stumbled across your website. Am i glad i did, i had all the ingredients on hand and didn’t have to go to the store so i gave it a shot. The recipe is super tasty finger-licking good I enjoyed my dinner immensely thank you for making low sodium eating tasty, i will use this recipe often. I cut the low sodium soy sauce with half water and it was just fine. The sauce is excellent!
This looks amazing! totally adding it to my meal plan for next week.
I made these tonight!! Juicy, succulent, outstanding!! Going into my regular rotation!! A must try!! You won’t be disappointed!!
great marinade and great choice to use chicken thighs for a very nice dish, thank you
That glaze! OMG! This looks fantastic!
Wow these look sooooo delicious and juicy!
Sometimes I get confused about whether a recipe calls for direct or indirect heat on the grill. Which would you use on this one? Thanks.
Hi!
I always set it over direct heat because I like the char, but if the heat is too strong and starts to burn the chicken, then I’ll scoot it over where it’s still hot but no direct flames. Hope this helps. 🙂
I love how brown and crispy these thighs look!
Brown sugar glaze sounds so delicious! Can’t wait to try this!
This is such a summer must have meal! So good!
Yummy! My kids love anything with brown sugar!
THIS CHICKEN WAS THE BEST!!!! Literally had a flavor explosion in my mouth. My kids ate ALL OF THEIR CHICKEN, which rarely happens! Thank you for sharing your recipe. This is a keeper! ❤️
I’m on a diet. can I eat this dish?!