Delicious juicy grilled BBQ chicken thighs are summer's best (and easiest) go-to dinner. Face your grilling fears with our perfect every time no-fail grilling method that balances direct and indirect heat for the juiciest grilled chicken thighs!
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We love to BBQ in the summer. From smoked ribs to grilled chicken kabobs, we have an arsenal of go-to grilling recipes. Grilled chicken is a staple and these BBQ chicken thighs are my favorite variation.
📖Why This Recipe Works
Barbecued chicken thighs are great for a crowd, and are gluten-free and dairy-free so the whole family can enjoy them.
By starting with a dry rub instead of a marinade you keep the skin on the chicken thighs dry so it crisps up properly.
We start by cooking skin side down to crisp up the skin before flipping. Then we cook over indirect heat and brush on our BBQ sauce so the sauce can properly carmelize without flare-ups on the grill.
Flare-ups are the cause of burnet chicken and we don't want that!
You can make this recipe with your favorite BBQ sauce, my version of BBQ sauce is gluten-free, or use store-bought for an easy weeknight dinner.
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🧾Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Thighs
This chicken recipe has three components; chicken thighs, a dry rub, and BBQ sauce.
Chicken Thighs - boneless or bone-in thighs both work equally well but my favorite is skin-on-bone-in thighs.
You can use the cooking chart below to adapt this recipe for other cuts of chicken.
BBQ Sauce- Use your favorite homemade version or store-bought. My favorite brands of store-bought sauce are Tessemaes and Stubbs.
Dry Rub for Chicken Thighs
Simple spices you probably already have in the pantry. I recommend using smoked paprika rather than sweet if you happen to have it on hand.
- Paprika
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried oregano
- Dried thyme leaves
- Cayenne pepper (optional but recommended)
See the recipe card for quantities.
⏲️How to Grill BBQ Chicken Thighs
Grilling chicken thighs can be easy for beginner cooks while giving grill masters headaches.
The key to perfectly grilled chicken is taking the time to properly prep the chicken, not rushing the process (it only takes 20 minutes after all!), and using a mix of direct and indirect heat.
Direct heat is when the chicken is placed on the grates directly above the flame.
Indirect heat is when the grill is on with flames on one side, but the chicken is pushed to the other side where it benefits from the heat but does not come in direct contact with the flame.
Prep the Chicken
Using a paper towel pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the chicken.
If using bone-in thighs loosen the skin, gently lift the skins, and push some of the dry rub directly onto the meat. This is an often overlooked step that greatly increases the flavor in every bite.
Grill the Thighs
Rest the chicken at room temperature while heating your grill.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat; about 450 F degrees. Once heated turn the flames off on one side of the grill.
Place the chicken skin-side down on the grill over direct heat (i.e., the side that still has the flame) and cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Flip the Chicken Thighs
Move the chicken to the indirect heat (i.e., the other side of the grill, skin side up, and brush both sides with BBQ sauce.
Continue cooking with the lid of your grill off/ open.
Brush on the BBQ Sauce
Brush with the BBQ sauce every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should be a minimum of 165 F degrees.
Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This helps seal in the juices.
BBQ Chicken Grilling Times
| Chicken Cut | Grill Temp (F) | Estimated Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bone in Chicken Thighs | 450 | 20 to 25 minutes |
| Boneless Chicken Thighs | 400 | 10 to 20 minutes |
| Boneless Chicken Breasts | 400 | 12 to 16 minutes |
| Chicken Drumsticks | 400 | 20 to 25 minutes |
| Chicken Leg Quarters | 400 | 30-35 minutes |
| Chicken Tenders | 375 | 5-6 minutes |
| Chicken Kabobs | 400 | 12 to 16 minutes |
| Chicken Wings | 350 | 16 to 22 minutes |
🥗What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Thighs
For a complete meal, we typically serve our BBQ chicken with potato salad, specifically our favorite Blue Cheese Potato Salad, corn on the cob, Blueberry Iced Tea, and our Strawberry Lemon Bars (gluten-free, of course!).
Other recommended side dishes include:
- Spicy Coleslaw or my sweet vinegar slaw
- Summer Tomato Salad
- Spicy Cucumber Chutney
- Garlic Green Beans
- Gluten-Free Baked Beans
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
If your BBQ sauce is too thick to easily brush onto the chicken thighs, thin it down with a ¼ cup of warm water.
Brining your chicken isn't required but highly recommended. A brine will add additional moisture without adding saltiness.
For additional flavor apply the dry rub 12 hours before grilling. Lay on a plate, cover in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. Allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling.
Never leave the grill unattended and have a small fire extinguisher nearby
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature
💭 Variations
Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
Some days the weather doesn't match my meal plan for the week so I opt to cook our BBQ chicken in the oven. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Apply the dry rub per the instructions, place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet, and set the chicken aside (at room temperature) while your oven preheats to 350F degrees.
Bake the chicken thighs for 15 to 20 minutes before basting with the barbecue sauce. Continue baking until chicken is cooked through (165°F), about 40 minutes.
More Summer Dinner Recipes
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Leftover grilled chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Leftover BBQ chicken can be reheated in the oven at 300F degrees or eaten cold.
You can use leftover chicken to make barbecue chicken nachos or chicken zucchini boats.
💬Frequently Asked Questions
Putting BBQ sauce on chicken prior to grilling will cause the sugars in the sauce to burn. Applying after cooking and you lose the caramelized flavor. The best time to apply BBQ sauce to chicken is during the last few minutes of cooking when the chicken is over indirect heat.
For boneless thighs allow 12 to 14 minutes over medium heat (400F). For bone-in thighs allow 15 to 20 minutes over medium-high heat (450F).
Direct heat grilling is quick and hot. It uses high heat and puts your food in direct contact with the flames. While indirect heat is associated with low and slow, where the flame is on one part of the grill but the food is pushed to one side where there are no direct flames.
When grilling chicken we use both direct and indirect heat.
📖 Recipe
Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Grill, gas or charcoal
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs boneless or bone in
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the dry rub ingredients.6 chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¾ cup BBQ sauce
Skin On, Bone In Chicken Thighs
- Using a paper towel pat dry the chicken thighs. Loosen the skin. Sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the chicken. Lift the skins and push some of the dry bub directly onto the meat. Rest at room temperature while heating your grill.6 chicken thighs
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat; about 450 F degrees. Once heated turn the flame off on one side of the grill.
- Place the chicken skin-side down on the grill over direct heat and cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. This will crisp the skin.
- Move the chicken to indirect heat, skin side up, and brush both sides with BBQ sauce. Continue cooking with the lid of your grill off. Brush with the BBQ sauce every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should be a minimum of 165 F degrees. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.¾ cup BBQ sauce
Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Using a paper towel pat dry the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the chicken. Rest at room temperature while heating your grill.
- Preheat grill to medium heat; about 400 F degrees. Once heated turn the flame off on one side of the grill. Grill the chicken for 4 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Move the chicken to indirect heat and brush both sides with BBQ sauce.
- Continue cooking with the lid of your grill off. Brush with the BBQ sauce often until the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should be a minimum of 165 F degrees. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- If your BBQ sauce is too thick to easily brush on, thin it down with a ¼ cup of warm water.
- Discard any leftover BBQ sauce (raw chicken germs).
- Brining your chicken isn't required but highly recommended.
- For additional flavor apply the dry rub 12 hours before grilling. Lay on a plate, cover in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. Allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling.
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