Huli Huli Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
These grilled boneless chicken thighs are marinated to sweet perfection! I absolutely love making this grilled chicken thigh recipe for salads or wraps, meal prep or just dinner.
Chicken thighs are a favorite in my house because they’re (usually) affordable, and they retain moisture super well! This makes them a good candidate for things like meal prep, where they get reheated a bunch. In this Huli Huli Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs recipe, I marinate the chicken overnight in a savory teriyaki style marinade, then quickly grilled to perfection. It has those wonderful sweet and sticky charred bits from the marinade, and the best flavor!
One thing I really love about this recipe is that the marinade serves both as a marinade and a glaze! While the grill heats up, I remove the chicken from the fridge to take the chill off and remove it from the marinade. Then, I transfer the marinade to a small pot and bring it to a boil! This allows you to use it as a glaze while the chicken is grilling. Then, I brush on the glaze for extra flavor and caramelization. It’s truly wonderful!
I have this recipe set as a big batch of 12 chicken thighs, because we typically enjoy them for dinner, then eat the rest for lunch over the remainder of the week! But you can use the serving size toggle in the recipe card below to halve the recipe if you need to serve less.
Recipe Substitutions
Instead of soy sauce, you are welcome to use coconut aminos for a guaranteed gluten free option.
Instead of brown sugar, you can use white sugar. You can also use honey, but I recommend keeping the chicken away from any flames when grilling, because honey burns very easily!
Feel free to substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast for the chicken thighs. You will likely need a few more minutes of cooking time if you have thick chicken breasts.
Serving Suggestions
I think the flavor of these grilled chicken thighs pair perfectly with Hawaiian Mac salad, broccoli slaw or mashed sweet potatoes! Grilled veggies like this grilled corn are also a wonderful pair.
Storing Leftovers
Allow leftover chicken to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Huli Huli Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sherry wine, or lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced, fresh
- 2 teaspoons garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a gallon bag or large bowl. Seal/cover and marinate overnight in the fridge or transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Remove chicken thighs from the marinade and reserve the leftover marinade.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Prepare the grill grates with oil.
- Transfer the leftover marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
- Grill the chicken thighs (covered) for 5-6 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit using an instant read meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Baste with the boiled marinade every 2-3 minutes while grilling.
- Remove from the grill and allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
