These grilled chicken thighs come out tender and juicy every time — and the secret is in the marinade. They’re my go-to hosting entrée, and the kids love them too!
I don’t usually pick favorites, but this grilled chicken thighs recipe is on my top five list. I’m not kidding when I say I make this recipe nearly every or every other week. Sometimes I make it for just my family, while other times I make them for big parties or celebrations. It’s just so easy to double or triple the recipe depending on the size of the crowd! They’re always a big hit with everyone so I know I can’t go wrong.
It may seem weird, but using ranch dressing (or Caesar dressing) as a chicken marinade is a game-changer. Let the thighs marinate overnight and you get ultra-tender and flavorful chicken with minimal fuss. Or, you can even make a homemade light ranch dressing or Caesar salad dressing if you prefer homemade dressings for a similar result.
How to Grill Chicken Thighs
Preparing these grilled chicken thighs is so simple that even a kid could do it (I’ve enlisted the help of my boys on multiple occasions!). Here is a simplified overview of the process before you dive in.
- Prep the chicken: Using a sharp knife, remove any excess fat from the chicken and cut in half (if preferred). Place the thighs into a large bowl.
- Marinate: Season the chicken thighs with the garlic salt and ranch dressing, making sure each one is evenly coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken for at least 6-24 hours.
- Grill: Preheat the grill to high (about 380°F if using a gas grill). Place the chicken thighs on the grill grates and grill until they’re golden brown on each side and fully cooked through. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Hot tip: The safe internal temperature for grilled chicken is 165°F. Take the guesswork out of how long to grill chicken thighs and invest in an instant read meat thermometer. I’ve been using this one for years and it’s saved me SO MUCH headache.
Tips for the Most Tender Chicken Thighs
You might be a pro (or not) at grilling, but here are some tips that I learned over the years while making this recipe.
- Use skinless boneless chicken thighs: Nothing compares to the cooking speed and juiciness of grilled boneless chicken thighs. You can always use bone-in chicken thighs, but they will take much longer to cook.
- Avoid over-flipping the chicken: If you want those quintessential grill marks, refrain from flipping the chicken too much. Ideally, you’ll only need to flip once!
- Keep grilled chicken stored in an airtight container: If you grill the chicken ahead of time, keep it stored in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve. The steam will keep the chicken from drying out.
Kabob hack: If you’re a fan of kabobs, slice the chicken thighs into quarters versus halves. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and grill them on both sides until golden brown.
Substitutions & Additions
I love experimenting with slight flavor changes. Some days I crave a slight kick of heat, other days I may crave something sweeter. If you’re like me, check out these variations to keep you and your family on their toes.
- Chicken breasts: If you don’t have chicken thighs at home and want to use chicken breasts instead, go for it! Allow for a bit more time to marinate the chicken, as well as a few more minutes to cook through on the grill.
- Spices & herbs: If your spice drawer is stocked with fresh spices, feel free to add almost anything you like to the marinade. I’ve tried paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes with great results.
- Citrus: For a citrusy flavor addition, add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice or lime juice. Add the juice 30 minutes before grilling, as the acid in these juices speeds up the process of tenderizing the chicken.
Hot tip: It may not be an ingredient substitution, but you can definitely substitute the cooking method for these chicken thighs! Cook them on a griddle, oven, or in a pan — they will be delicious!
Serving the Grilled Chicken Thighs
What I love about this recipe is that there are a million way to serve the grilled thighs. This is why this is my go-to meal prep recipe! For a comforting, well-rounded meal, serve them with a side dish of creamy mashed potatoes and/or Parmesan risotto. Or, if you’re trying to keep things light, serve the thighs on top of a homemade Caesar salad or berry spinach salad. If you’ve got tons of leftovers, use them in mushroom chicken salad or chicken ranch wraps (a favorite for packed lunches!).
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Since grilled chicken thighs are so quick to make, they are an excellent option for protein meal prepping. Make a large batch and stow away the leftovers in the fridge or freezer for later.
- Refrigerator: To keep your chicken thighs on hand for up to five days, store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheating: The best and easiest way to reheat these chicken thighs is in the microwave or in an air fryer until warmed through (if you don’t have one yet, I love this model).
More Must-Try Chicken Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Kebabs – Juicy, marinated chicken skewers
- Baked Chicken Legs – The perfect sheet pan meal
- Cilantro Lime Chicken – Zesty and fragrant with just a handful of ingredients
- Grilled Chicken Wings – Easy, three ingredient wings
- Chicken Lo Mein – Noodles, chicken, and veggies in the best sauce ever
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken – Sweet and savory Asian chicken
Recipe
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut in half, if desired. Place the chicken into a large bowl.
- Season the thighs with garlic salt and pour the ranch dressing on top. Using your hands, massage the chicken until the seasoning is evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 6 hours (overnight is preferred).
- Preheat the grill on high (about 380°F). Grill the chicken on both sides until it is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Serve and enjoy!
This recipe had the potential to be good, but 2 tablespoons of garlic salt is way too much for 2 pounds of thighs. Turned out way too salty.
Hey Maria, what brand of garlic salt did you use? One with parsley? Usually that one has so much herbs and garlic, it has much smaller amount of salt. I would love to hear back about the brand. Thank you!
Hi. Can I put the raw chicken with marinade in a ziplock bag and freeze for easy meal prep?
Hey, I personally have not tested this recipe as a frozen meal prep, but it can work. Just thaw the frozen marinated meat in the fridge overnight prior to using. Please report back after you've tried it!
Are you sure it wasn’t a typo ? 2 TBSP
Not TSP. Of salt ?
We had more chicken and added a lot less salt and it’s almost inedible too salty …
Hi Olga, the measurements is correct. Its not regular salt, its garlic parsley salt so its not as salty. Hope this helps 🙂
Can you make these in the oven ??
Hey Tanya, You totally can bake these in the oven. I would recommend baking at 400°F for about 25-30 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Enjoy!
These were great and so quick and easy. Thank you.
You're welcome, Mary! Thanks for leaving feedback. 🙂
So I measured The ranch and garlic salt correctly I made sure and I marinated it overnight for roughly 24 hours. It came out super salty once grilled. Like extremely salty. I used 2 lbs chicken thighs as stated. What went wrong? Did you happen to mean garlic powder and not salt?
Hi Stacey - Sorry it turned out too salty on your end. We typically use Hidden Valley and garlic parsley salt in these exact measurements. If you make it again, you can definitely swap the garlic parsley salt out for garlic powder. Hope this helps!
Delicious and easy!!
Thank you, Olya!
What’s the portion size? The nutritional info is off the rails.
Hey Deborah, the nutrition as calculating ranch, thanks for catching that. This recipe makes 4 sergivngs.
Looks delicious gotta try it asap!
This chicken is amazing, so easy! Let me know what you think when you try it 🙂
Awesome recipe to try at home during lockdowns! Grilling chicken will also provide a healthy and safe way to cook chicken. I would just like to add that chicken shouldn’t be washed directly under the sink as juices can spill on countertops and ready-to-eat food spreading microbes.
Hey Mischelle, thank you for sharing your tips. I am confident that it will help many readers!
Would chicken breast work for this recipe? thanks
Yes, you would need to adjust the cooking time.
Just made this, and this recipe is a keeper. The chicken turned out moist and seasoned, super delicious . Thanks a lot for this recipe 🙂
Irina, I am so happy tom hear such an awesome feedback. Thank you for sharing!
Would it be ok to marinade this for 2 nights?
Yes, it will be just fine to marinade for several days.
Would it be ok to marinade for 2 nights?
Yes, totally fine to marinate for a few days!
I made these the other day and I fell in love. They reminded me of chicken breast that I grilled before with Mayo and a few other ingridents. And even reminded me of the pork ones that my dad grills. Yet this is so simple and taste similar. I loved it!!
Olga, I agree with you. I make this dish several times a month. Next batch us coming up this Saturday 🙂
This will sound odd, but I have made Baked Chicken breasts with bottled Ranch dressing.. and 1/2 tsp. of grated fresh Ginger added! There is no strong flavor of Ginger, just some underlying "zing". I will have to try this way, grilling the chicken cut in chunks. Yum
That sounds very interesting. I bet the flavors are great with all the ginger.
It makes only 5 skewers or more? I want to make these for a large party and want to make sure I get enough chicken to feed 30 adults.
I would do at least 1/2 per adult. If you are not serving much food you can do a little more.
Hello just wondering do you think I'd be able to grill these on a panini/griddle? I wanted to make these for when we go camping but won't be having a grill. Thank you!
You definitely can use griddle. In the winter time that's what I use. Have fun camping 😉
can I fry them on the stove top in a skillet with a little oil?
Yes you can. They will still be just as great!
Natalya, thank you for the awesome recipe! the best recipes are always the simpliest ones. I made these last night for unexpected company and they had enough time to marinate and soak in flavor with in the time my hubby fired the grill. this will be my go to recipe. thank you
Oh my! So awesome. You make me smile so big. Thanks for your comment, it keep me excited to continue blogging 😉
These look amazing!! If I were to bake these in the oven what temperature would you recommend and for how long?
is it gona be delicious if i make it in the oven?
Yes, I think it will be good. Maybe not as crispy but it will taste good 🙂
Serve them while worm? ;))
Heheh 🙂 even my husband didn't catch that. He looks over my recipes.