My bbq chicken thighs are a uniquely delicious main dish that blows you away from the first bite, y'all!! Bone-in chicken thighs, submerged in a marinade for just a bit, then drained and cooked until golden. Finally, glazed with an easy homemade sauce featuring sweet, spicy, and tangy tongue tantalizers nestled within a dreamy, creamy base. Yep and yay…
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Easy on the Eyes and Super Tasty on the Tongue...
BBQ chicken thighs are saucy pieces of grilled or baked poultry deliciousness that we all love to eat right off of the bone. There are infinite ways to prepare this dish, and innumerable variations in glazes available to finish off each batch with truly unique flavors.
While I prefer my own original version of barbecue chicken thighs hot off of the grill, this dish is also oven-friendly. It also doesn't take long to marinade or to cook. And, you can whip this up easily anytime. The leftovers are fantastic, too. So, you can also use this recipe to meal-plan your hot daily lunches that provide restaurant-quality flavors within a frugal budget. Indeed.
Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
- This BBQ chicken thighs recipe was created for bone-in pieces. That said, you can use boneless skinless chicken thigh pieces as the most ideal substitute. You can also use bone-in or boneless chicken breasts, as well. Just adjust the cooking time as needed, and keep that trusty digital meat thermometer close by to make sure that you cook the meat to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The dried ginger, paprika, and liquid smoke stirred into the chicken broth help to create a layered flavor profile for this recipe. There are no substitutes for these ingredients that retain the true integrity of the finished dish. So, include all three of them if at all possible.
- The honey, hot sauce, and soy sauce combine with the garlic and herbs to make a crave-worthy glazing sauce. You can use brown sugar, sugar, or molasses instead of honey if necessary. You can also omit the hot sauce if desired. However, the garlic and soy sauce are essential. So, include them in this barbecue chicken thighs recipe for best results.
Storage
Cover and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Use a vacuum-sealer to freeze individual thighs for later. But, don't just freeze them in sealed plastic bags because the taste and texture of the thighs will likely change.
Top Recipe Tip
While it only takes one hour of marinade time to experience the full flavors of these bbq chicken thighs, the sweet spot for marinating the chicken thighs is three hours. At this point, the liquid smoke and dried ginger and paprika have had time to penetrate the meat, giving it lots of flavor pops that you'll notice throughout the eating experience.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Thighs
To start, pour all of the sauce ingredients into a bowl. Stir until combined, then set aside.
Now, whisk the chicken broth, dried spices, and liquid smoke in another large bowl. Submerge the raw bone-in chicken thighs into the marinade. Cover, then refrigerate.
When ready to cook, drain the thighs and let them come down to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Heat a grill to medium heat, about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the thighs on the grill, then cover and let cook for a bit.
Then, flip the thighs and cook for a few more minutes. At this point, you'll start glazing the thighs with the sauce.
Keep flipping and saucing the bbq chicken thighs until done.
And that's it, y'all!!
The first thing you notice about these bbq chicken thighs is how the tender and juicy meat slides right off the bone. Then, you taste the sweet, tangy sauce, and you're hooked on the alternating pattern of pure delight that keeps you captivated until the very last bite.
Share these amazing bbq chicken thighs with those who return all of the love that you give them one hundredfold. And see y'all on the yum side...
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Thighs
These sides go great with barbecue chicken.
More Scrumptious Chicken Dishes
If you love these barbecue thighs, you'll probably love these other chicken dishes, as well.
BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
For the Marinated Chicken
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin and excess fat removed about 2.5 to 3 pounds
- 2 cups chicken broth Swanson is gluten free
- ½ teaspoon dried paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke I love and use Colgin
For the Cajun-Asian BBQ Sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce I use Kikkoman gluten free
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce I love and use Crystal
- sliced green onion garnish, optional
- chopped parsley garnish, optional
Instructions
- Stir all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Pour the chicken broth, paprika, ginger, and liquid smoke into a large bowl with a fitted lid.
- Submerge the bone-in chicken thighs into the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but up to overnight.
- Heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium heat, about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drain the marinated chicken thighs, then place on the grill.
- Turn the thighs about every 4 minutes,
- Start glazing the thighs with the Cajun Asian BBQ sauce at the 8-minute mark.
- Continue grilling the chicken for about 8 more minutes, or until a digital meat thermometer inserted into each pieces reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the BBQ chicken thighs to a tray, then garnish with chopped green onions and parsley right before serving.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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