Ever asked How do you grill chicken thighs? Look no further because these are the BEST grilled chicken thighs throughout the country.
We show you how to make the most amazing chicken dry rub and give you step-by-step instructions on how to do it Grilled chicken thighs recipe.
Delicious chicken thighs on the grill
Grilling chicken thighs is one of our favorite summertime dishes because it’s easy and delicious. Seriously, these delicious grilled chicken thighs are so packed with flavor thanks to our homemade dry chicken mix.
We love how inexpensive chicken thighs are and how easy they are to season. The bone makes them super juicy and flavorful. And a bit of grilled char makes them the ultimate spring/summer meal that the whole family will love.
Pair your grilled chicken drumsticks with our foil wrap grilled potatoes, caprese quinoa salad and a homemade honey lavender lemonade for the ultimate summer meal.
PS: Try our baked chicken thighs or smoked chicken thighs for more chicken thigh recipes!
Which chicken thighs should I buy for grilling?
We always recommend choosing organic/natural and free range where possible. Yes, they cost a little more, but I promise the flavor and texture will make up for it! Also, chicken thighs are generally one of the cheaper parts of chicken (compared to breast), so switching to organic for cost reasons is actually not such a bad thing.
Some of our favorite humane chicken brands include…
This grilled chicken thighs recipe calls for 1 pound of chicken thighs and you will likely end up with about 4-6 medium chicken thighs per pound. As always, you can easily double or even triple this recipe by multiplying it by 2 or 3.
Best Homemade Dry Grater for Chicken Thighs
We combined our favorite Fit Foodie Finds dry rub with this recipe to create the ultimate crispy, flavorful and delicious grilled chicken thighs recipe and we highly recommend following the recipe exactly! If you have our chicken seasoning on hand, you can use that too.
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- coconut blossom sugar (or brown sugar)
- paprika
- chili powder
- Chipotle powder
- Cinammon
- ground mustard seeds
- Salt
- pepper
Want to add more warmth? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Why should you make your own dry grater?
What we love about making our own dry rub at home is that there are no additives. You can also monitor the salt, spice, and sweetness levels in your rub, which is great for many reasons. One thing I recommend about this rub is to make a double or triple batch of it to have on hand at all times!
If you’re not feeling dry, you can try our Grilled Chicken Marinade instead.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grilled Chicken Thighs
Although it will take about 15-20 minutes, the magic number is actually the temperature of the chicken. You’ll know your grilled chicken drumsticks are fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Set your grill to around 425°F. Don’t worry if your grill goes up or down a few degrees! That’s the nature of grilling. Just make sure you watch your chicken thighs and turn them every 5 minutes so they don’t burn. Finally, cook them over direct fire.
Long story short, yes, chicken drumsticks are healthy, especially when paired with a homemade dry rub!
Both types of grilling are suitable for chicken thighs. A gas grill is easier to control with the heat, but a charcoal grill makes for great grilled flavor.
We have found that direct heat, medium/high grilling gives your chicken thighs nice and crispy on the outside and super moist on the inside.
Try it!
Thermoworks thermal pen
We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking every cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that always works.
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serving suggestions
In addition to rubbing your chicken thighs with BBQ sauce, we share some more serving suggestions with you below!
Photography: The photos captured in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.