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Grilled chicken thighs with balsamic chicken marinade on a plate.
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Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs (Marinated + Always Juicy!)

These grilled boneless chicken thighs come out juicy, smoky, and caramelized every time. A Dijon-emulsified balsamic marinade clings to the meat, and a two-zone fire chars the outside without scorching.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating Time4 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: boneless chicken thigh marinade, grilled boneless chicken thighs, Grilled chicken thighs
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 tsp minced garlic about 4 cloves
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes

For the Chicken

  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil for the grates
  • fresh chives minced, for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep the Marinade

  • Whisk the Dijon and minced garlic together until smooth. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking to build an emulsion.
  • Whisk in the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, honey, rosemary, thyme, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  • Place the chicken thighs in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over and toss to coat. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours.

Prepare the Grill

  • Heat one side of the grill to medium-high and leave the other side off. Clean the grates, then oil them with a paper towel and tongs.

Grill the Chicken

  • Grill the thighs over the hot zone for 4 to 5 minutes without moving them. Flip when they release cleanly, then grill 4 to 5 minutes more. Pull at 175°F, sliding them to the cool side if they darken too fast.
  • Rest 5 minutes, then top with minced chives.

Video

Notes

Swapping in chicken breasts: Pound to an even thickness and marinate up to 4 hours. Grill to 165°F and do not overcook.
Make ahead: Freeze raw chicken right in the marinade up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Food safety: Do not reuse marinade that touched raw chicken unless you boil it for a full minute first.
Number of servings: This marinade is enough for two pounds of chicken. Use the servings slider to scale.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 380mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg