Can I use bone-in chicken thighs?

I do love bone-in thighs with skin, but cooking skin-on chicken properly is very particular and turns this into a different recipe entirely. Stick with boneless skinless thighs for this one.

Can I use chicken breasts instead?

While I prefer the flavor and texture of thighs, you can absolutely use boneless chicken breasts. Just know that breasts dry out much faster if they’re overcooked, so an instant-read thermometer becomes even more important. Breasts should be cooked to 165 ºF.

Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Description

These grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs are juicy, flavorful, and easy to repeat. Using simple seasoning and a two-zone grilling method gives you great color up front, then gentle heat to finish without drying them out. This is a reliable weeknight recipe that works on any grill.

Be sure to check out how I cook these on my Weber Kettle Grill in the step-by-step video below.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
1 tablespoon Goya Adobo seasoning
2–3 tablespoons BBQ dry rub (see notes)
white vinegar (optional, for spritzing)

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Instructions

Preheat the grill.
Set up your grill for two-zone cooking and preheat to high heat. For a charcoal kettle, bank the coals to one side to create a clear direct and indirect zone. Cook with the lid closed.
Season the chicken.
Coat the thighs evenly with Goya adobo seasoning followed by BBQ rub.
Sear over direct heat.
Place the thighs over direct heat and cook for 1–2 minutes per side to begin developing color.
Build color and texture.
Continue cooking over direct heat, flipping and moving as needed, until both sides have good browning and light caramelization (about 6–8 minutes total over direct heat).
Finish over indirect heat.
Move the thighs to the indirect zone. Close the lid and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 175–185°F.
Rest and serve.
Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Dry Rub:
For this recipe, I use my All-Purpose BBQ Rub. It’s balanced, not overly sweet, and works especially well on chicken. You can find the full recipe here.

Vinegar Spritz (Optional):
A light spritz of vinegar 4-5 times throughout the cook can add subtle tang and balance the richness of the chicken. It’s a flavor choice, not a requirement.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main dish
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 thigh
Calories: 170
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 350mg
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 24g
Cholesterol: 90mg