Last Updated on by What’s Smoking
Whether your grilling season is just getting started with the warm months upon us or if you never stop grilling, all year long, what better way to enjoy a dinner off the grill than with some delicious grilled teriyaki chicken thighs? This easy to make dish is packed with flavor and sure to be a hit at your next barbecue. Whether you’re firing up the gas grill or sticking to the classic charcoal method, these chicken thighs are a must-try for any outdoor cooking enthusiast. Get ready to impress your guests and family with this mouthwatering recipe that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Simple Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This is a delicious teriyaki sauce recipe, one that I have used before in my Teriyaki Beef Jerky recipe. It does not require a lot to make this sauce, both in process and ingredients. For this recipe you will need the following items: soy sauce, I usually use low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, light brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, garlic powder and water. It is possible the only ingredients you might need here are the rice vinegar and sesame oil but hopefully all the other items you will have in the kitchen ready to go.
Combine all the ingredients in a small pot and let them simmer over a low heat for about 5-10 minutes, until they are all well blended. When done, we are going to want to set aside 1 cup of this sauce to be used later on in this process. After you have set aside the one cup, let this cool enough to then marinade the chicken.
How To Prepare Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
When it comes to preparing boneless and skinless thighs you can do one of two things, trim the skin and fat off or leave it as is. I always choose to leave the little bit of fat and skin, its adds some flavor, keeps the thighs juicy and tender and adds some crunch to the thighs. It also saves some time in the prep process. There is no right or wrong in how you do this part, its all about what works for you.
When the thighs are ready just take them, place them in a resealable bag and then from there, pour in the marinade. Seal the bag, place them in the regfrigator and let marinade for about 5 hours.
Grilling Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
I used my Weber Kettle for this recipe but you can also do this on a gas grill as well. For this recipe, I set up two zones, a hot and cool. At all times, I kept these thighs on the cool side of the grill. You are going to want to get the grill up and running with a temperature of 375°. As far as my charcoal usage, this was a relatively quick cook, so a chimneys worth of charcoal was about all that is needed.
While the grill is getting up to temperature, we are going to use the cup of marinade we set aside to make a glaze for the thighs. Pour the marinade into a small pot, have it simmer on low heat. From there start adding in some corn starch. You will need about 2 teaspoons but you are going to add it about a 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Add the corn starch, then stir it in. You will see the marinade thicken into a glaze.
Using the ThermoPro TP20 is a great option for checking IT and ambient temperatures of the grill.
As it thickens, add more or less of the corn starch. When you have reached a desired thickness, continue to let simmer, stirring on occasion.
When the grill is ready, you can start placing the thighs on the grill, all on the cool side. After you have the thighs on the grill, close it up and let them ride for about 30 minutes. When the thighs hit an internal temperature of 160°, we can move to the next step of glazing the thighs. Do not sweat the IT of the thighs. They can take internal temperatures upwards of 175° without drying out.
You can keep the thighs were they are and brush on the glaze. If you want to brush the top or both top and bottom you can do either/or. I am all for the additional flavor so I glaze both the top and bottom. Keep them on there for another 10 minutes and that this point, you can pull them off. Give them a few minutes to rest after pulling them and you can serve away!
Enjoying Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with a sticky teriyaki glaze are the perfect dish for a summer BBQ or weeknight dinner. The sweet and savory flavors of the teriyaki marinade pair perfectly with the grilled juicy chicken thighs, creating a dish that is sure to be a hit with family and friends. With just a few simple ingredients and easy preparation, this recipe is a must try for anyone looking to add some delicious Asian inspired flavors to their grilling rotation. So fire up the grill and give these mouthwatering chicken thighs a try, you won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for being here and checking out this Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs recipe. I hope you enjoy it! We always appreciate comments, 5 star recipe rating and social media shares. As always, keep that smoke rolling!
Need some other chicken recipes ideas, here are a few suggestions:
- Korean BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Pickle Brined BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters
- Grilled Chicken al Pastor Tacos
- Smoked Pulled Chicken Breasts
- Smoked Sweet And Spicy Chicken Bites
- Tandoori Chicken On Charcoal Grill
- Smoked WSM Chicken Thighs
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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Elevate your grilling game with our delicious and easy-to-follow recipe for Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. of boneless and skinless chicken thighs
Teriyaki Marinade
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons fresh ginger (ginger powder can substitute it need be)
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 tsp. of pink salt
- 2 tbsp. of rice vinegar
Instructions
- Take the ingredients for the marinade, combine them all, in a small pot. Let it all simmer in the pot for about 5-10 minutes.
- When done, set aside one cup of the marinade. The remaining amount, we will use to marinade the chicken.
- If you choose to trim the fat and skin off the thighs you can, I usually choose to leave it on. It add more flavor and some crunch after grilling. Whether you choose to trim them or not, you can then place the thighs in a resealable bag. Once the thighs are in, pour the marinade into the bag.
- Seal up the bag, place it in the regfrigator and let the thighs marinade for at least 5 hours.
- At the tail end of your marinade, you can get the grill up and running. Shoot for a temperature of 375° on the grill and set it up for 2 zones. For this recipe, we are only going to grill it on the cool side.
- When the chicken thighs are done marinading, remove from the regfrigator and give them a quick pat dry. From there place the thighs on the grill.
- While the thighs are on, start on the glaze using the marinade we set aside. Add corn starch 1/2 a tsp. at a time and continue to stir with each 1/2 tsp. You will need about 2 tsp of corn starch.. When done, continue to let simmer on low, stirring on occasion.
- When the thighs reach an IT of 160°, you can start to glaze. For maximum flavor, I highly suggest glazing the top and bottom of the thighs.
- When done glazing, return to the grill. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes, allowing the glaze to set and the desired char to be reached. You can pull the thighs right around 170°-175°. If you want to quickly sear over direct hear for some char, that can work as well.
- After removing, let rest for a few minutes and then serve!
Notes
- If you want some smoke flavor on the thighs, you can add a chunk of cherry wood to the coals.
- Reminder, thighs can easliy take an IT of 170° without drying out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 568Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 2779mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 48g