This simple grilled chicken thigh marinade strikes a perfect savory balance with a mixture of balsamic vinegar, mustard, and brown sugar. Juicy and tangy in every bite! This is a simple recipe that can be prepped in a few minutes and I’ve included plenty of tips including how to get that perfect smoky char flavor!
In this house, we have probably cooked chicken in just about every method possible with many, many seasoning combinations from Cajun Blackened Chicken to Creamy Tuscan Chicken. Having a quick and easy meal for grilled chicken is essential and this delicious recipe is a keeper because it uses easy pantry ingredients you are nearly certain to have on hand!
The homemade seasoning blends balsamic, brown sugar, basil, and mustard to make every bite as flavorful as it is juicy. It’s smoky, tangy, and a tiny bit sweet which goes great with the chicken thighs.
This grilled chicken thigh marinade goes perfectly with southern comfort side items like grilled corn, Green Beans, or a caprese salad. If you want something lighter, a simple side salad pairs nicely.
What You Will Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients you will need with notes on substitution ideas and preferences:
Boneless vs bone-in Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they soak in the flavor so well and pair great with the smoky flavor. However, boneless or bone-in is really just a matter of preference. I would remove the skin in both choices. Additionally, legs or boneless chicken breasts pound them to a relatively even thickness are a great substitutes.
Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar is totally fine if it’s what you have on hand.
Lemon Juice: Bottled or fresh is good.
Garlic: Store bought minced garlic or you can mince about 3 garlic cloves.
Vegetable Oil: I use vegetable oil, but canola is great because it has a higher smoke point. You can also use avocado oil or sunflower oil if you prefer.
Mustard: Regular yellow mustard balances out the sweet flavor so well. For dijon or stone ground, reduce the amount to 1 Tablespoon.
Soy Sauce: Reduced sodium is my go to.
Basil: Fresh or dried is fine. I have actually successfully made this marinade with oregano too.
How to make chicken thigh marinade (step-by-step)
Marinades are a simple way to elevate a meal. Just mix all of the ingredients of your choice together and let sit. You can mix a marinade in a ziplock bag or a bowl and it coats the chicken perfectly.
The secret to making the best grilled chicken, is to make your chicken relatively even in thickness. No more undercooked centers and burnt, dried out edges! This method also tenderizes the meat, making it more tender and flavor soaked.
While bone-in chicken thighs are fairly even in thickness, I find that breasts are highly variable and boneless chicken thighs occasionally have one thick lump (over an 1.25 inches thick). Before marinating, I roll out the chicken on a cutting board and hit only the high spots. Use either the smooth side of a meat mallet, rolling pin or something heavy you can bang with.
Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, although I prefer a minimum of 2 hours to let the flavor and acids do their magic. I find it best to start the process in the morning or after lunch so they are ready to cook at dinner time. Store in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips for Grilling Chicken Thighs
- Make sure your chicken is mostly even in thickness. I generally lay chicken thighs out flat before marinating. If there is a particularly thick lump (over 1.5 inches) I press it a little flatter.
- Marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator (you can do less time but it won’t brine or seep as well into the chicken).
- Cook chicken on medium to medium high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until fully cooked.
- Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Pro Tip: I over cooked chicken on the grill for years until my husband taught me a better way. Because we use ¾ inch thick chicken, you can tell the texture changes in cooked vs raw meat. It’s very similar to the palm test used for steaks. After a few times of paying attention to the firmness of chicken on the grill, you can get the hang of it quick and never overcook your grilled meats again! We grill chicken on a medium to medium high temperature for gas or charcoal.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Serve: You can keep cooked chicken at room temperature for up to 2 hours before it should be refrigerated.
Refrigerate: Cooked chicken should be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Don’t cut up the meat until ready to reheat.
Freeze: You can freeze with the marinade or after cooking. Cool your chicken to room temperature, and place in a freezer or foodsaver bag to minimize freezer burn. Freeze for up to 4 months. You can pre-cut this for salads and sandwiches to reduce thaw time.
Frequently asked questions:
According to FDA Guidelines, the safe minimum internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees.
If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, you can always do a little cut into the middle to check that it’s just about opaque in the center. With bone-in pieces, if you insert a small knife to the bone and juices run clear, you are good. If they are still pink, let it go a little longer. Chicken thickness and different grills can have hot spots or more direct heat in places, so a universal cooking time is hard to pin down.
Yes. Make sure your chicken is mostly even in thickness. We use a meat tenderizer to about ½-3/4 inch thick. Thicker will keep the natural juices in, but thinner will cook more evenly and capture more marinade.
For the best grilling, marinade at least 30 minutes although the ideal time for chicken breasts is about 4-5 hours, and for chicken thighs over 2 hours. You can also marinade in the refrigerator overnight.
Yes, you can freeze chicken in a marinade! Put the chicken and prepared marinade in a plastic freezer bag. Remove all the air and seal the bag. Lay flat to freeze. Lasts up to 3 months. When ready to use your chicken, allow it to thaw out in the refrigerator before cooking.
More Great Chicken Recipes
- Honey Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Blackened Chicken Recipe
- Oven Baked Chicken and Rice
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Grilled Chicken Thigh Marinade
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- ⅓ cup Soy Sauce reduced sodium
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 cup Brown Sugar I use light, but dark brown sugar works too
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil 2 teaspoon if using dried
- 2 tablespoon Yellow Mustard If using dijon, use 1 tablespoon less
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 2.5 lbs Skinless Chicken Thighs boneless or bone-in is fine
Instructions
- Whisk together all marinade ingredients.
- Make sure chicken is all relatively the same thickness. Pound out with a meat mallet if necessary.
- Place chicken in a gallon Ziplock bag or a bowl. Pour the marinade over chicken and toss to fully coat chicken.
- Seal bag or bowl and marinade 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. In a pinch, the minimum I would recommend marinating is 30 minutes.
- Grill over medium to medium high heat until done, 8 to 10 minutes, turning half way through. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure your chicken is mostly even in thickness. You don’t need to pound thighs, but I generally lay them out flat before marinating. If there is a particularly thick lump (over 1.5 inches) I press it a little flatter.
- Marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator (you can do less time but it won’t brine or seep as well into the chicken).
- Cook chicken on medium to medium high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Michael says
Great!
Jennifer says
Absolutely delicious and very easy to make. I can’t wait to make it again! Thanks!