These BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs are a favorite in our house! Chicken pieces are slathered with a perfectly balanced tangy and sticky-sweet BBQ sauce, then grilled until juicy, tender and covered in caramelized bits. Simple and oh-so-satisfying.
Easy And Outrageously Good Chicken Thighs
If you’re looking for a bold, smoky twist on your usual chicken dinner, this is the recipe to bookmark. These grilled boneless chicken thighs are coated in a homemade BBQ sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and just the right amount of sticky.
For this recipe, half of the sauce gets thinned out with a a little water to be used as a marinade, giving the chicken deep flavor after a few hours of soaking. The rest gets brushed on as the chicken grills and served alongside for extra oomph.
Paying attention to the chicken as it cooks—moving the pieces around on the grill to keep them from burning, and flipping them often—ensures we end up with tender, moist meat that isn’t burnt to a crisp.
Whether you’re firing up the grill for a casual cookout or just need an easy summer dinner, this recipe is about to become your go-to.
Notes On Key Ingredients
Chicken: While bone-in chicken is delicious slathered with BBQ sauce, this recipe uses boneless skinless chicken thighs because they’re so much easier and quicker to grill. Boneless grilled chicken thighs are notoriously tender and juicy and almost impossible to overcook. Feel free to use bone-in thighs or drumsticks if you wish. Just make sure you brush off most of the marinade and apply thin coats of BBQ sauce only towards the very end of the cook time.
BBQ Sauce: As I mentioned above, this homemade BBQ sauce is truly exceptional and takes only 10 minutes to make. But if you have a favorite store-bought BBQ, feel free to use it!
How To Grill Boneless Skinless BBQ Chicken Thighs On A Gas Grill
- Pat the chicken dry and place in a large glass bowl (or ziplock bag). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a small bowl, combine half of the BBQ sauce, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons water. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator (covered) for 2 hours or overnight. (TIP: If you’re short for time, just let the chicken marinate while you heat the grill. I’ve marinated as little as 15 minutes and the chicken is still delicious.)
- Pre-heat the grill to medium heat (about 350ºF – 375ºF) and oil the grates.
- Grill chicken thighs, flipping once or twice, with lid closed, about 8 minutes. Using remaining BBQ sauce, baste the chicken on both sides and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, moving the pieces around to cooler, or hotter, parts of the grill accordingly. Chicken is ready when it registers 170-175°F at the thickest part.
- Transfer chicken pieces to a large platter and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve your juicy chicken with any remaining sauce.
Grilling Reminders And Recipe Tips
- Clean your grill. When your grill is dirty, the food will stick to the grates. Heat the grill to high and allow the heat to cook off any bits of food left behind. While the grill is still on high, clean it thoroughly with your grill brush.
- Oil the grates. The marinade on the chicken thighs has been thinned out with water but it still contains quite a bit of sugar which could cause it to stick. Oiling the grates will prevent it from sticking. Wad up a paper towel and soak it in a neutral cooking oil. Using tongs, rub it all over the grill grates.
- Meat thermometer: I sound like a broken record but you cannot cook perfectly cooked chicken (or any meat) without a meat thermometer. I like to take my chicken thighs to and internal temperature of at least 175ºF so it is imperative to have a meat thermometer to determine the exact temperature.
- Cook over moderate heat: Marinades that contain sugar—like BBQ sauce—can scorch quickly on the grill. To avoid burnt or bitter bits, it’s best to grill chicken thighs at medium heat, giving them a little extra time to cook through while allowing the sauce to caramelize gently instead of burn.
- Get ahead: Make the BBQ sauce up to a week in advance. The chicken can marinate overnight so at the end of a long summer day, you can have this finger-licking-good chicken in less than 20 minutes.
To Bake BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs:
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Set a metal rack on top (preferably non-stick for easier cleanup).
- Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the boneless chicken thighs with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ cup of BBQ sauce to coat. If possible, let marinate for 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- Place the chicken thighs on the wire rack, evenly spaced, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken reaches 170°F internally. Remove from the oven, brush with more BBQ sauce and place under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the edges caramelize. TIP: Keep an eye on the chicken while it’s broiling so it doesn’t burn.
- Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Recipe FAQs
Chicken thighs are fully cooked and safe to eat when they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF. That said, for extra juicy and tender grilled chicken thighs, I prefer to cook them until they hit 170ºF to 175ºF. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of the thighs and the heat of your grill. On my gas grill set to medium heat (about 350ºF to 375ºF), larger boneless thighs typically take 13 to 14 minutes, while smaller ones cook in about 10 to 12 minutes. If you’re using bone-in chicken thighs, plan for closer to 20 minutes total.
Since barbecue sauce usually has some sugar in it, high heat can cause it to burn before the chicken is fully cooked. Grilling over a moderate, steady heat of about 350ºF to 375ºF, gives the thighs time to cook through while letting the sauce caramelize without turning too black or bitter.
Absolutely! However, I find most store-bought sauces would benefit from the addition of a few ingredients. Consider adding minced garlic, chili powder, and even a teaspoon of vinegar if it’s lacking tanginess.
If you don’t have time to marinate, simply let the chicken pieces sit in the BBQ sauce at room temperature while the grill is heating, or while you prepare any side dish. The BBQ chicken will still be delicious even with a short marinade.
What To Serve With BBQ Chicken
Grilled BBQ chicken pairs well with just about any classic summer side. If corn is in season, we love having this BBQ chicken alongside corn on the cob and a green salad or any dish that has corn in it such as this Mexican Street Corn Salad — yum!
I also love serving these BBQ boneless chicken thighs with light, refreshing dishes that balance the smoky, saucy flavors. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or keeping it low-key, here’s a few more sides that make for a well-rounded, satisfying BBQ meal:
Good To Know!
These boneless BBQ chicken thighs are perfect for bringing along to picnics then tucking them into hamburger buns. We also love them on toasted buns with a creamy coleslaw or just lettuce leaves and thick slices of tomatoes—so good!
Storing & Reheating Tips
To store: Leftover grilled chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up 4 days.
To reheat: Place leftover chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet. Heat in a pre-heated 300ºF oven until warmed through. Alternatively, you can microwave on. medium power for a few minutes.
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Thank you!~Sandra
Grilled BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6 large-sized pieces or 8 small)
- 1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce homemade or store-bought, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and place in a large glass bowl (or ziplock bag). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Set aside half of the BBQ sauce. In a small bowl, combine remaining half of the BBQ sauce, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons water. (If your bbq sauce is very thin, add only 1 tablespoon water, if it's very thick, add more as needed.) Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator (covered) for 2 hours or overnight. (TIP: If you're short for time, just let the chicken marinate while you heat the grill. I've marinated as little as 15 minutes and the chicken is still delicious.)
- Pre-heat the grill to medium heat (about 350ºF – 375ºF) and oil the grates.
- Grill chicken thighs, with lid closed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until starting to caramelize. Flip chicken, then cook for 4 additional minutes. Turn one of the burners down to low or off. Using the reserved BBQ sauce, baste the chicken on both sides and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, moving the pieces around to cooler, or hotter, parts of the grill accordingly. Chicken is ready when it registers 170-175°F at the thickest part.
- Transfer chicken pieces to a large platter and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve your juicy chicken with any remaining sauce.
Notes
Grilling Reminders And Recipe Tips
- Clean you grill. When your grill is dirty, the food will stick to the grates. Heat the grill to high and allow the heat to cook off any bits of food left behind. While the grill is still on high, clean it thoroughly with your grill brush.
- Oil the grates. The marinade on the chicken thighs has been thinned out with water but it still contains quite a bit of sugar which could cause it to stick. Oiling the grates will prevent it from sticking. Wad up a paper towel and soak it in a neutral cooking oil. Using tongs, rub it all over the grill grates.
- Meat thermometer: I sound like a broken record but you cannot cook perfectly cooked chicken (or any meat) without a meat thermometer. I like to take my chicken thighs to an internal temperature of at least 170ºF so it is imperative to have a meat thermometer to determine the exact temperature.
- Cook over moderate heat: Marinades that contain sugar—like BBQ sauce—can scorch quickly on the grill. To avoid burnt or bitter bits, it’s best to grill chicken thighs at medium heat, giving them a little extra time to cook through while allowing the sauce to caramelize gently instead of burn.
- Get ahead: Make the BBQ sauce up to a week in advance. The chicken can marinate overnight so at the end of a long summer day, you can have this finger-licking-good chicken in less than 20 minutes.
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