Who doesn’t love grilled chicken thighs? Anyone who has had them when they’re not done right—that’s who.
Grilling chicken thighs can be tricky. Too much grill time and they come out charred and dry. Too little and you bite into raw chicken. YUCK!
But when they are done right, grilled chicken thighs are amazing. Even better in these inflationary times, they’re a bargain too.
In the video below, AB, of Smokin’ & Grillin with AB, a YouTube channel with more than 2.5 million subscribers and almost 229 million views(!), is here to show us how to make perfect grilled chicken thighs.
I was surprised that AB removed the skin from his chicken thighs, then trimmed off visible fat.
AB made a marinade using all-purpose seasoning, garlic, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper, and olive oil to season the chicken. He put it all in a large plastic bag and let it marinate for a bare minimum of 30 minutes. AB says 4 hours is better and overnight is best.
When it comes time to grill, AB starts the charcoal on one side. He has a large indirect cooking area and he also adds a trough of water to the grill to keep everything moist. Watch the video to see how it is all done. Your grill should ideally be at a temperature of 375 F. You can push it to 400 F, if necessary, but don’t go any higher. On the lower end, you can let it drop as low as 350 F and still get good results.
Just before the chicken is ready, AB puts it directly over the coals to give it that amazing dark and smoky finish. When it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F your chicken is perfectly done.
##RVDT2187
An alternate- a lot of people like the skin sort of crispy but everyone wants well cooked tender juicy meat. Quickly sear the skin with a high heat and then move to a lower temp indirect heat. This will seal in the juices and more slowly bring up the internal temp to the fully cooked point. Just those two points will allow you to add whatever flavor treatments you like. Personally I like dry rubs (before sear) and BBQ sauces (after sear). Sometimes all you need is salt & pepper.
I really enjoyed this guy’s video. I liked it SO much I subscribed to his YouTube channel. I’m always looking for tips for better grilling. I’ll have to see if he has a video about grilling brisket. I’ve YET to do a successful brisket (I almost hate to admit!).
Oh no Tommy! I will have to look for a good brisket video for you. Nothing like a good smoked brisket!
Thanks, Cheri! I hate cooking chicken on a grill because I can never tell if it is done enough. I bought a thermometer to check internal temperature recently. However, the rest of the information is new and welcome; thank you!