BBQ Chicken Thighs

We love nothing better than BBQ Chicken Thighs during the hot summer months. Crispy skin, juicy meat, all slathered up in tangy BBQ sauce. Pretty much sums up summer don’t it? I wasn’t going to share this recipe, as I felt it was a cop-out. Then I whipped up a batch this week and got to thinking. Some folks just don’t grill their chicken properly, so I should share my claim to fame over the grill. I am pretty sure you are going to love this simple to make BBQ Chicken Thighs recipe.

Last year I made it a goal to be the “girl who grills” at our house. I know this is a job that is meant for the man of the house, but I would rather have him pour me a drink while I “woman” the grill. I hate nothing more than over grilled (or even cooked in general) meat. You know what I am talking about, tough, stringy, chewy and bland. After trial and error, I found that the way to get the perfect meat off of the grill was two things; a meat thermometer and a temperature gauge for the grill, and of course the star of your meal. I don’t time the meat while cooking, I just keep checking the temperature until the right one is reached. I test the thickest part of the meat during the cooking process, then take it off when it is 5 degrees below the recommended temperature.

For this recipe, I use chicken thighs as we prefer them on the grill as they have more flavor and are juicy. I also use thighs with bone and skin on, for the mentioned reasons, more flavorful. I lightly season them with salt and pepper, then toss them onto a hot grill (about 325). I cook them until they register 150, then I slather them with my favorite BBQ sauce, and cook each side until slightly crispy but still gooey. You want your fingers to get dirty while you nosh away on them. The Food Safety Board recommends 165 for chicken, I cook until 160 and then remove from the heat source. The meat will continue to cook while it rests and by the time you place it on the table, you are okay to go.

Two of our Favorite BBQ Sauce Recipes:

Gochujang Raspberry BBQ Sauce

Peach Rye BBQ Sauce