Barbequed Chicken Thighs

These barbequed chicken thighs are juicy, flavorful and incredibly easy to prepare. With a simple homemade spice rub and a quick brush of BBQ sauce, they deliver the perfect balance of smoky, savory and slightly sweet. They’re also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.

I’m back and feeling refreshed after a long break! I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful holiday. We kept things simple with Smoked Turkey Breast, Gluten-free Mac and Cheese and Texas Sheet Cake. It was enough for the three of us!

I know most people are more into stews, soups and cozy casseroles this time of year, or perhaps something more holiday-like, but I’m always in the mood for barbequed or smoked recipes.

They’re ideal for weeknight dinners, summer cookouts or anytime you need a reliable, crowd-pleasing grilled chicken recipe.

Ingredient Notes

Please scroll down for the full recipe! These are just notes on select ingredients.

• Chicken thighs – bone-in, skin-on thighs stay juicier and develop crispier skin than boneless cuts.
• Brown sugar – adds sweetness and helps the skin caramelize beautifully. You can alternatively use coconut sugar.
• Paprika – regular paprika works fine, but smoked paprika adds an extra smoky boost. Or use hot paprika for a kick!
• Granulated garlic – coats more evenly than minced garlic and won’t burn on the grill. If you’re thinking of using garlic powder, granulated garlic has larger, sand-like granules that hold up better on high heat. It clings better to meat in dry rubs, doesn’t burn as quickly as garlic powder and gives a more even garlic flavor during grilling.
• Olive oil – helps the rub adhere and keeps the chicken from sticking to the grill grates. If you want something less likely to smoke, avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil are better choice, but I always use olive oil without issues.
• BBQ sauce – use your favorite brand. Brush it on only during the last few minutes so the sugar doesn’t burn.

How to Make Them

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Mix together the brown sugar, sea salt, paprika, granulated garlic and pepper.
2. Coat the chicken evenly with the dry rub.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and massage it into the meat.
4. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
5. Preheat the grill to medium heat (375–400 °F / 190–205 °C). Oil the grates. Place the thighs skin-side down and grill for 6–8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and grill another 6–8 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 170–175 °F (77–79 °C).
6. Brush both sides with BBQ sauce during the final 5 minutes, flipping once to caramelize.
7. Let the chicken rest 5–10 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute.

Don’t feel like grilling? Try these delicious-looking Boneless Skinlesss Chicken Thighs!

How to Make Ahead and Store

You can season the chicken up to 12 hours ahead and keep it refrigerated until grilling.

Leftover chicken thighs can be refrigerated for 3–4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a covered skillet or oven at 325 °F (165 °C) until warm.

They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Sauce after reheating if you want to maintain a fresh, glossy glaze.

Troubleshooting

• Chicken burns before cooking through – heat is too high or sauce was added too early.
• Soggy skin – chicken wasn’t dried well or grill wasn’t hot enough at the start.
• Tough texture – thighs may not have cooked long enough; they become tender around 170–175°F (77–79°C).
• Rub falls off – pat the chicken dry fully before applying the spices.

Serving size

For bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, a good rule of thumb is:

1/2 to 3/4 pound (225–340 g) per person if you want generous portions.

1/3 to 1/2 pound (150–225 g) per person if serving with several sides and don’t need large portions.

They typically weigh 6–8 ounces (170–225 g) each. So for this recipe, you’ll use about 4–5 chicken thighs.

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Barbequed Chicken Thighs

Author Erin Dooner

Course Main

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

These Barbequed Chicken Thighs are juicy, flavorful and incredibly easy to make. A simple brown sugar BBQ rub, a quick marinade and a final brush of sauce give you perfectly caramelized, tender chicken every time. Great for weeknights, summer cookouts or whenever you’re craving something smoky and satisfying.

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs (900 grams) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon paprika
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 cup (143 grams) BBQ sauce

Instructions

• Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
  2 lbs (900 grams) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, paprika, granulated garlic and pepper.
  2 tablespoons brown sugar

  2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

  1 tablespoon paprika

  1 tablespoon granulated garlic

  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Evenly coat the chicken thighs with the spice rub. Drizzle with olive oil and massage the seasoning into the meat. Cover and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes (which can be done at room temp if it's just 30 minutes). If marinading longer than 30 minutes (which you can do for up to 12 hours), then refrigerate and remove from the fridge 30 minutes before grilling.
  1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
• Preheat your grill to medium heat (375-400 °F / 190-205 °C). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
• Place the chicken thighs skin-side down on the grill. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 170-175 °F (77-79 °C).
• During the last 5 minutes of cooking, brush both sides with BBQ sauce, flipping once to evenly caramelize.
  1/2 cup (143 grams) BBQ sauce
• Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to retain juices.

Notes

• The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. 
• If you're gluten-free or dairy-free, make sure your BBQ sauce is gluten/dairy-free. Most are, but you always needs to check. The other ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but you should still check them to ensure there's no hidden gluten or dairy. 

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 21gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 2517mgPotassium: 334mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 695IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg

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