Healthy BBQ & Grilled Chicken Thigh Recipes

Find healthy, delicious BBQ and grilled chicken thigh recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chicken, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Casserole

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This protein-loaded chicken and sweet potato casserole dish is made with multicolored quinoa, a blend of white, red and black varieties, but any color will work.

Chicken Hummus Bowls

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The spiced chicken atop these bowls is ready fast with the help of the broiler. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita for scooping up extra hummus at the bottom of the bowl.
By Carolyn Malcoun

25-Minute Chicken & Veggie Enchiladas

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These chicken enchiladas are great for using up any veggies you have lingering in your fridge. Our chicken enchilada recipe calls for zucchini, squash and onion, but you could easily swap in spinach, onions or potatoes.
By Cooking Light

Mediterranean Chicken Skillet

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In this one-skillet Mediterranean chicken recipe, chicken thighs are infused with lemon, garlic and herbs and paired with orzo that's perfectly al dente. Charred tomatoes and onions add full flavor to complete this easy Mediterranean dinner.
By Liv Dansky

Southwestern Vegetable & Chicken Soup

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Who wouldn't want to eat their vegetables when they're tucked into a fragrant broth with bits of tasty chicken and spiked with a shot of fresh lime and cilantro? This healthy chicken vegetable soup seems even richer with the smoky flavor from roasted poblano peppers and garlic. Serve this healthy chicken soup recipe with tortilla chips.

Herb-Grilled Chicken Frites

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We combine fresh herbs, capers, lemon juice and olive oil along with the juices collected from the chicken as it rests to make a simple sauce that livens up this take on poulet frites, or chicken and fries.
By Adam Dolge

Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs with Cherry-Molasses Sauce

Cherries add fruity flavor to this barbecue sauce, and a touch of molasses helps it caramelize on the grill for a sticky-sweet glaze atop chicken thighs.
By Adam Dolge

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Summer Corn Salad

Chicken thighs are easy on the budget and great for grilling because they stay moist in the heat. Here, they are paired with a fresh corn and tomato salad for a simple summer dinner. When grilling skin-on chicken thighs, watch for flare-ups. Move the chicken away from the flames and reduce heat, if necessary, to keep it from charring.
By Carolyn Casner

Turkish Chicken Thighs

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The acidity of the yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and keep it moist. If you can't find hot paprika, substitute 2 teaspoons sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Broiled Ginger-Lime Chicken

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Flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and lime, this marinated chicken recipe is a favorite in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. Serve with rice or couscous and black beans.
By Kathy Gunst

Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice & Peas

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Add some flavor of the Caribbean to your weeknight dinners with this healthy and easy jerk chicken recipe. The chicken is cooked on a grill pan rather than an outdoor grill--make sure the pan is well-heated before adding the chicken to achieve the crisp char you would get from an outdoor grill. A simple side of coconut rice and peas completes this satisfying and nutritious meal.
By Liz Mervosh

Spicy Tamarind Chicken

This marinade is best on quick-cooking cuts of meat like this spicy grilled chicken, as the sugars in it can burn if on the grill for too long. Use the grill to cook the rest of your meal, too--Japanese eggplant and shishito peppers would be nice.
By Andrea Nguyen
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Inspiration and Ideas

All-American BBQ Chicken Thighs
In this healthy chicken thigh recipe, bottled barbecue sauce--often loaded with sodium and high-fructose corn syrup--is replaced with a homemade barbecue sauce recipe. Use the barbecue sauce to baste the chicken thighs while cooking--but if you want to also serve the barbecue sauce at the table, separate some before grilling to avoid cross-contamination.
Caribbean Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Banana Salad
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A Caribbean-inspired marinade for these chicken-and-pineapple kebabs is flavored with pineapple juice, soy sauce, plenty of spices and spiked with rum. It's moderately spicy from the use of jalapeño, but not nearly as spicy as the well-known jerk marinade, which uses the extremely hot Scotch bonnet chile. If spicy-hot is not your thing, leave the jalapeño out or use half. The creamy banana salad is a soothing counterpoint, but skip it if you like.
Herbed Chicken Thighs
Chicken Yakitori with Broccoli
1

Yakitori--chicken skewers common in Japan--get a thick soy glaze before and after grilling for maximum flavor in this healthy dinner recipe. Double or triple the recipe for a fun party appetizer. Serve with steamed short-grain brown rice or over rice noodles drizzled with the extra sauce.

All Healthy BBQ & Grilled Chicken Thigh Recipes

Grilled Chicken Salad with Freekeh, Preserved Lemon & Dried Cherries

Dried cherries add color and sweet and tart flavor, while mint and parsley give this healthy grain salad recipe fresh notes. If fresh sweet cherries are available, you could add those instead. Serve this chicken salad recipe with tzatziki sauce and mixed greens on the side.
By Diana Henry

Curried Chicken with Mango Salad

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If you don't want to heat up your kitchen you can cook the chicken on the grill instead; grill on high heat, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Make it a meal: Serve with a fragrant brown basmati rice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Shaker-Style Smoked Chicken Thighs

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Based on a recipe of the Shakers, a Quaker splinter group that flourished in the Eastern U.S. in the mid-19th century, this marinade derives its flavor from a hefty jolt of cider vinegar and lots of chopped shallots. Apple-wood chips are our first choice for smoking, but maple and hickory impart great flavor as well.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Thai Grilled Chicken with Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce

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In this recipe for gai yang, or Thai grilled chicken, the chicken marinade is enriched with a little coconut milk, which keeps the meat moist during grilling. Prepare the sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce the day you want to use it, because it loses freshness quickly. If you prefer to use chicken breasts instead of thighs and drumsticks, use 3 bone-in breast halves and cut each in half crosswise for 6 servings total.
By Naomi Duguid

Stuffing-Topped Chicken

3
Here's a one-skillet version of chicken and stuffing made with wholesome ingredients. We use chicken thighs because we love the rich flavor of dark meat, but boneless, skinless breast works too. Serve with Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Barbecued Raspberry-Hoisin Chicken

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Hoisin sauce along with pureed tart raspberries makes a wonderful Chinese-inspired marinade and dipping sauce for grilled chicken. Plan ahead: The chicken thighs benefit from marinating for at least 2 hours before grilling.
By Marie Simmons

Thai Wit-Glazed Grilled Chicken

This chicken's sticky, citrusy glaze is a flavor-packed combo of Belgian wit beer, coriander and orange--plus it gets a Thai-inspired spin from lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Use a bottle from your favorite brewery or opt for easy-to-find Blue Moon Belgian White (and have a few extra bottles on hand to drink with it!).
By Carolyn Malcoun

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Shishito Peppers

Thin-skinned shishito peppers char quickly on the grill. We cook them on their own skewers, separate from the chicken. This way you can add them in the last few minutes so they don't get too blistered. These peppers can sometimes be spicy, so if you don't like too much heat, swap in mini bell peppers instead. Serve over rice to round out the meal.
By Hilary Meyer

Quick-Smoked Jerk Chicken

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In this jerk chicken recipe, a zesty marinade of garlic, brown sugar, cider vinegar, spices and lime juice gives the meat exquisite flavor. The hickory woodchips lend a lightly smoky flavor to the chicken, but feel free to grill the chicken over coals or gas instead. Serve with a green salad and a buttermilk-herb dressing.
By David Bonom

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cucumber-Mint Salad

The cumin-and-coriander rub in this grilled chicken thigh recipe pairs deliciously with a minty cucumber salad. Chicken thighs can vary widely in size. Ask your butcher to hand-select 4 large thighs for this recipe. If you can only find small chicken thighs, cook 2 per person and reduce the grill time slightly.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Jacqui's Jerk Chicken

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Sweet, savory and spicy all at once, Jacqui Sinclair's jerk marinade is absolutely addictive. Try it on pork loin, firm white fish or even goat if you can find it. The wood chips are optional if you're grilling, but they add an authentic, subtle flavor to the chicken. Serve with a slightly sweet side dish, such as sweet potatoes or cornbread, to balance the heat.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Chicken Yakitori with Broccoli for Two

Yakitori--chicken skewers common in Japan--get a thick soy glaze before and after grilling for maximum flavor in this healthy dinner recipe. Or double or triple the recipe for a fun party appetizer. Serve with steamed short-grain brown rice or over rice noodles drizzled with the extra sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Moroccan-Citrus Chicken with Grilled Peach-Lime Salsa

1
A potent blend of citrus zests and juices along with a quartet of aromatic spices makes this healthy and quick chicken marinade recipe amazing. For this sweet and peppery salsa recipe, fresh peaches are caramelized on the grill before being diced and stirred together with chopped jalapeño, lime juice and zest plus a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve the salsa with the grilled chicken or with a basket of chips.
By David Bonom

Grilled Chicken with Peach Salsa

Fresh peach salsa is a burst of Southwestern flavor in this wine-marinated chicken drumstick recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Jerk Chicken & Nectarine Salad

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Sweet, ripe nectarines offer a cool counterpoint to this spicy jerk chicken salad. Accompany with Wholesome Cornbread and Beans & Rice.
By Ruth Cousineau

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pickled Peaches & Herbed Couscous

This recipe is super-versatile—just about any green that's hanging out in your crisper can be whirred into the garlicky sauce, and you can swap plums for the peaches and quinoa for the couscous.
By Jennifer Kushnier
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