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Grilled Lemon Chicken Thighs

grilled chicken with lemons

5 from 1 reviews

Grilled Lemon Chicken Thighs are juicy, flavorful, and easy to make. The zesty, citrus marinade uses only 3 ingredients (plus a few simple spices) and takes only minutes to mix up. The results are moist chicken thighs with perfect grill marks.

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Marinate Chicken Thighs - In a medium/large bowl, mix together the olive oil, spices, lemon zest and juice, and garlic. Add the whole chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to combine. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes (perfect amount of time to preheat the grill) or up to one hour. If marinating for more than 20 minutes, place the chicken back in the fridge.
  2. Preheat Grill - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (450-500 degrees F) for direct grilling (ie. the chicken will go directly over the flame).
  3. Grill - Grease your grill grates, if desired, with vegetable oil on a paper towel using grilling tongs. Then add the marinated chicken thighs to the grill. Discard excess marinade. Close the grill and grill each side for 4-5 minutes (8-10 minutes total) until fully cooked (internal temperature reads 170 degrees F). Chicken thighs are ready to flip when they easily release from the grill. The excess marinade should be discarded.
  4. Serve - Removed cooked chicken from the grill and allow to rest for just a few minutes before serving. I love to give a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of extra chopped parsley.

Notes

Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Grilled Lemon Chicken Thighs, Grilled Chicken Thighs, Grilled Citrus Chicken Thighs, Chicken Thigh Marinade