Anything grilled during the summer months, or even all year long, just tastes better. Make a large batch of these easy grilled teriyaki chicken thighs, with a super simple homemade teriyaki marinade, for dinner, lunches, or as a meal prep menu option for the whole family!
Chicken is a staple protein in my home and on my site, with various recipes like tuscan chicken, a classic chicken Francese, or throw into pasta like a rigatoni fiorentina.
Chicken thighs are one of my favorite cuts of chicken for flavor and nutritional value. Trust me, there's more to eating well than just bland chicken breast.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love these teriyaki chicken thighs
- What ingredients are needed for these chicken thighs?
- What is teriyaki sauce?
- Swaps and Substitutions
- How do I make these teriyaki chicken thighs?
- Tips for making these grilled teriyaki chicken thighs
- Can I use store-bought teriyaki sauce?
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Information
- Hungry for more?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- Easy Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Why you'll love these teriyaki chicken thighs
- This recipe yields the juiciest and perfectly tender chicken thighs.
- The teriyaki marinade is homemade and a LOT easier to make than you might think.
- Making this chicken dish takes minutes and is great as a meal prep option.
What ingredients are needed for these chicken thighs?
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs - when cooked right, they're super tender and taste fantastic!
- Soy Sauce - a classic Japanese ingredient for marinades and sauces.
- Mirin - this is known as rice cooking wine and can be found in most grocery stores.
- Brown Sugar - a little added molasses and sweetness to give the teriyaki sauce its tang.
- Honey - added sugar and sweetness to add to the brown sugar.
- Garlic - a balance to the sugary flavor!
- Ginger - not entirely classic but a great flavor profile to give these chicken thighs.
- Water - helps balance out the marinade and the ingredients used to create it.
See the recipe card below for more information about specific ingredients and quantities.
What is teriyaki sauce?
Teriyaki sauce is a blend of classic Japanese ingredients such as soy sauce, mirin (rice wine), and sugar.
Traditionally, it incorporates sake, but we omit sake in this recipe and add in some honey, brown sugar, and ginger. Other recipes may call for cornstarch to thicken it up, but I went with a very easy, no frills marinade that doesn't require a stove or a pot to thicken.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Brown Sugar - in one of my tests of this recipe I used coconut sugar, and it worked great! Feel free to swap the brown sugar for coconut sugar. It may not get the exact same consistency, but it works really well.
- Chicken - you can easily use chicken breasts (boneless or bone-in), chicken legs or drumsticks, even chicken wings for this recipe instead of thighs.
- Soy Sauce - swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos. I've done this before and it works just as well.
- Mirin - you can use cider vinegar instead of rice wine.
- Ginger - I did not have ginger on hand in one of my tests, but I did have ginger juice and it was fantastic. If you don't have ginger juice, just use a teaspoon of grated ginger.
How do I make these teriyaki chicken thighs?
Step 1: Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, brown sugar, and ginger.
Step 2: Add in the water and minced garlic, then whisk again to combine.
Step 3: Pat dry the chicken thighs and add to a large bowl.
Step 4: Pour the marinade all over the chicken thighs, ensuring that all of the pieces of chicken are coated. Cover the bowl and let marinade in the fridge for 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 5: Preheat your grill and turn the heat to a medium high heat. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Step 6: Cover the grill, then reopen and flip the chicken, cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 160º
Tips for making these grilled teriyaki chicken thighs
- Marinade the chicken before grilling. The marinade is poured over the chicken and let sit either overnight if you have time, or at least 2 hours prior to grilling. Marinading helps give the chicken thighs lots of flavor.
- Remember to time the cooking of the chicken. These are boneless chicken thighs so they will cook quicker than bone in.
- Measure your ingredients the way it's written. There is a balance of flavor we are aiming for.
- USE A THERMOMETER! A thermometer really is the most reliable tool to help make sure your protein is finished cooking thoroughly.
Can I use store-bought teriyaki sauce?
You sure can! If you're really in a pinch of time, you could use store bought, and then follow the directions after marinading the chicken.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these teriyaki chicken thighs with:
- A simple greens salad.
- Some delicious garlic herb mashed potatoes.
- After grilling, slice and serve over risotto, orzo, or bone broth rice.
- Keep it low carb with a side of roasted veggies, sautéed green beans, or roasted squash.
Storage Information
To Store: Place any uneaten teriyaki chicken thighs into an airtight container and store for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze this for up to two months, whether precooked or not! Just label the date you either cooked or marinaded the chicken.
To Reheat: A simple microwave works here, or you can warm the chicken in an oven on low heat (300º) for 10-15 minutes.
Hungry for more?
Planning your dinner menu? Here are some other drool-worthy dinner options:
Did you like this recipe? Share it!
If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you for being here!!
Easy Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 grill outdoor or indoor
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- tongs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon mirin rice wine
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, brown sugar, and ginger.
- Add in the water and minced garlic, then whisk again to combine.
- Pat dry the chicken thighs and add to a large bowl.
- Pour the marinade all over the chicken thighs, ensuring that all of the pieces of chicken are coated. Cover the bowl and let marinade in the fridge for 2 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat your grill and turn the heat to a medium high heat. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Cover the grill, then reopen and flip the chicken, cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 160º
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