Grilled Chicken Thighs & White BBQ Sauce

Grilled chicken thighs with simple flavoring. Serve white barbecue sauce alongside this easy chicken thigh recipe for a delicious dinner! You may also love our sweet & spicy barbecue sauce. 

We’re still in the midst of grilling season so I thought I’d bring you a new grilled recipe! Let’s talk chicken thighs for a minute. I’ll be the first to admit that when I think chicken, I think “chicken breasts”. I skip right over all of the bone in wings and thighs and head right for what I grew up on. But really…have you guys tried grilled chicken thighs? Buy them with the bone-in and skin-on and you’ll end up with some of the juiciest, most tender meat around.

Chicken Thighs Vs Chicken Breasts

So what is the difference between chicken thighs and chicken breasts? They are obviously a different cut of meat, but is one more nutritious than the other? Fat is the one major difference between chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Chicken thighs have more fat on them then chicken breasts. Don’t let that fact scare you. Fat is not necessarily your enemy and the skin on these chicken thighs helps keep that dark meat moist and tender during cooking.

Because they are higher in fat, chicken thighs are more flavorful, too. Win, win!

Preparing Chicken Thighs for Grilling

Because chicken thighs are already extremely flavorful, there is little prep for grilling chicken thighs. Leave the skin on and the bone in. Sprinkle some salt, garlic salt and pepper all over the chicken thighs.

When I grill meat, I like to remove the meat from the fridge about 30 minutes before grilling to take the chill off the meat. This helps the chicken cook more evenly and warms it up a good 30 degrees before throwing it on the grill.

What temperature do I cook chicken thighs on the grill?

I start my chicken on a hot grill. Heat the grill to about 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit. If the grill is preheated it will help the chicken not to stick to the grill grates and allow the chicken to cook more evenly.

How long does it take to grill chicken thighs with bone?

It will take about 25-30 minutes to grill chicken thighs. Start them skin side down and cook for about 15 minutes, then turn the chicken thighs and cook the remaining time. Chicken is safe to eat when the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit, but we often cook the chicken thighs for a little longer so they are fork-tender.

What is white barbecue sauce?

If you’re looking for something a little different to serve your guests, try southern-style white bbq sauce. It’s often called Alabama white bbq sauce and is mayonnaise and vinegar based. Make this quick sauce up before you grill you chicken and then refrigerate it so the flavors have time to blend well.

**This is a very vinegary sauce. We sometimes use less vinegar if we feel like cutting down on that flavor. Use anywhere between ½ cup to 1 cup for this recipe. Adjust to the way you want it to taste!

This is a low-carb sauce if you make homemade mayonnaise. It’s great for Keto, Whole30 and Paleo diets!

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Thighs

Here are just a few side dish options:

• Grilled Onion Potatoes
• Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa
• Sparkling Fruit Salad
• Sparkling Fruit Punch

**We LOVE our Thermoworks ThermaPen to quickly test meat temperatures. This probe thermometer is AMAZING.  Get it here.**

Grilled Chicken Thighs with White BBQ Sauce

4.75 from 8 votes

How to grill chicken thighs with simple flavoring. Serve white barbecue sauce alongside this easy chicken thigh recipe for a delicious dinner!

Servings 4

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

 

US Customary – Metric

• 1 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar **see notes
• 3/4 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 4 Chicken thighs (skin on, bone in)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Instructions

 

For the White BBQ Sauce

• In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and vinegar (**see notes) until smooth.
• Mix in the remaining sauce ingredients, stirring well.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least a half an hour.

For the Chicken Thighs

• Sprinkle Chicken thighs with salt, pepper and garlic.
• Place the chicken thighs skin side down on a preheated grill and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the thighs and cook for an additional 10 minutes** or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• **Baste with white BBQ sauce during the last 2 minutes of grilling.
• Allow the chicken to rest for 2-3 minutes, then serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Video

Notes

**This is a very vinegary sauce. We sometimes use less vinegar if we feel like cutting down on that flavor. Use anywhere between 1/4- ½ cup for this recipe. Adjust to the way you want it to taste! Obviously the more vinegar you use, the runnier the sauce will be.

The calories shown are based on 1 chicken thigh only. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.  **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcal | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 231mg | Vitamin A: 90IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Calories 248

Keyword chicken thighs recipe, easy chicken recipe, grilling recipes, homemade barbecue sauce, keto, paleo, whole30

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