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grilled chicken thighs over corn on plate
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4.84 from 18 votes

BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs On The Grill

BBQ grilled boneless chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful with a delicious sweet-tangy BBQ sauce. The secret ingredient is French salad dressing.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
marinating30 minutes
Total Time42 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 3 (or 2 bigger portions)
Author: Cheryl Avrich
US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, Note 1 (or boneless breasts)
  • salt and black pepper

Marinade/Sauce, Note 2

  • 3 tablespoon French dressing (or Catalina or California dressing)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium is fine)
  • 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar or to taste (if you like it sweeter, add 3 tsp)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced (one small clove)
  • Optional: 1/4 tsp sriracha; 1/4-1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano.
US Measures - Metric

Instructions

  • MAKE MARINADE/SAUCE: Put all marinade ingredients into a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust flavors. You will have between 1/4-1/3 cup.
  • MARINATE CHICKEN: If chicken thickness is uneven, pound to even thickness. No need to make the chicken thin. Tip: I do this with the heal of my hand on a cutting board. Combine marinade and chicken in a bowl or ziploc bag, reserving about 3 tbsp to use as a finishing sauce. Marinate for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. If marinating for longer - up to a day - refrigerate chicken, covered.
  • HEAT GRILL: Spray grill with oil or grease grill with a paper towel dabbed with oil. Heat grill to medium-high heat, about 450-475F/232-246C.
  • GRILL CHICKEN AND SERVE: Grill chicken with lid closed 3-4 minutes depending on thickness. Turn chicken pieces over. Baste with reserved marinade/sauce. Close lid. Grill for another 2-4 minutes until chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken on an Instant thermometer will read 160F/71C. Temperature will rise as chicken rests for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Chicken options: Boneless chicken breasts work well too for you hard core white meat eaters. You can also use bone-in chicken thighs (with or without skin), but the cook time will be longer.
  2. Marinade/Sauce substitutes
    • Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar
    • Use low sodium soy sauce instead of regular strength.
    • Substitute Catalina or California dressing for the French dressing
    • Variations: Add herbs to the marinade such as thyme, oregano or chives. Or add a dab of sriracha (hot sauce) to the marinade, a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a pinch of cinnamon
  3. Make Ahead: The recipe can be made a day ahead and grilled just before serving. Alternatively, grill the chicken ahead and serve it at room temperature or chill it and serve it cold. You can warm it up if you like in the microwave or oven. If you do, I suggest, under cooking it a bit.
 
Nutrition values are estimates.
Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg