How to Grill Chicken Thighs (Lemon Garlic)

Grilling chicken thighs with the grill marks and slight char marks on them.

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How to Grill Chicken Thighs (Lemon Garlic)

These grilled chicken thighs come out tender and juicy with crispy, charred skin. A simple lemon garlic marinade with honey soaks right into bone-in, skin-on thighs, then they grill at 350 to 400°F for about 6 to 7 minutes per side. It's my go-to summer dinner, and it makes a big batch, so it's perfect for a cookout or leftovers all week.

Prep Time5

Cook Time14

Marinating Time2

Total Time2 19

Course: Dinner Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 1638kcal

Author: Samantha Erb

Equipment

Instant Read Thermometer

Ingredients

7 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons zest and juice
¼ cup honey
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons parsley freshly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Mix together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, honey, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to create the marinade.
Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and turn them until all the thighs are coated.
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight. About 30 minutes before grilling, take the chicken out and let it sit at room temperature.
Heat the grill to 350-400°F. Clean the grates and lightly oil them so the skin doesn't stick.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it on the hot grill, skin-side down. Cook for about 6-7 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Check with a meat thermometer, keeping it off the bone. Discard the leftover marinade.
Remove the chicken from the grill and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Marinate the chicken in the fridge, not at room temperature. Two hours brings a ton of flavor, and overnight is even better. Let the thighs sit out for the last 30 minutes before they go on the grill.

Start them skin-side down and don't flip until the skin releases from the grates on its own. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, wrap them in foil and warm in the oven at 325°F until heated through, which keeps them from drying out.

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