Juicy Grilled Chicken Thighs The Best Recipe Ever

Published Jun 11, 2019 Updated Aug 29, 2024

Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe

Today I am going to share the best grilled chicken thighs recipe with you that calls for only three ingredients: chicken thighs (bone in), homemade dry rub and liquid smoke. Yes, it’s that easy and the end results are absolutely delicious…the juiciest grilled chicken you will ever make. I guarantee you, just like my juicy and tender grilled steak.

How To Grill Chicken Thighs

How to make the juiciest grilled chicken thighs on a gas grill? I am sure many of you have had dry, overcooked and burned thighs that taste pretty much like a piece of charcoal. To get the chicken perfectly cooked, with charred and crispy skin while retaining the juice inside the chicken, you need to know how long to cook, grill time and at what temperature.

Grilling Tips

Here are the tips and techniques for the best grill and BBQ every time!

Grill the chicken thighs on direct heat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2 minutes on each side, with the skin side down first. Turn the chicken thighs a couple of times to avoid burning. Move the chicken thighs to the side without direct heat. Cover the lid of the gas grill and continue to barbeque the chicken thighs for about 6-8 minutes. The hot air in the grill will BBQ and cook the chicken and retain the juice. The grilling time depends on the size of the thighs, but the internal temperature should be 165° Fahrenheit (75° Celsius) when it’s completely cooked through. If you don’t have a thermometer, check doneness by cutting a slit to see the inside of the chicken.

Dry Rub Marinade

For this recipe, I used my homemade dry rub as a marinade for the chicken thighs. The dry rub consists of the following ingredients:

Salt and sugar/brown sugar Chili powder Smoked paprika Garlic powder Steak seasoning (McCormick brand) Cayenne pepper

I also used liquid smoke to bring out extra smokiness and aromas in the grilled chicken. The end result is legendary, to say the least!

What To Serve With This Recipe

Serve the chicken with summer side dishes. For a healthy summer meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.