Sticky Cilantro-Lime Chicken Thighs
With the weather getting warmer my grill has been calling my name and of course I answered with these sticky cilantro-lime chicken thighs!
Smoky, grill-charred chicken thighs slathered in a sticky honey-lime soy sauce glaze and adorned with a heavy handful of fresh cilantro leaves – this recipe gives maximum flavor results with minimum effort.
Enjoy these grilled sticky cilantro-lime chicken thighs over some steamed rice, roasted or mashed potatoes or simply with some grilled veggies!
tips for the perfect grilled sticky cilantro-lime chicken thighs
- Use skin on thighs and be sure to rub some of the seasoning under the skin. This will ensure that too much of your rub doesn’t fall off once you place the chicken thighs on the grill. When grilling, the skin also helps to add even more flavor and keeps the thighs moist as the fat in the skin melts away. Without the skin on the outer layer of the meat can easily get overcooked and dried out.
- Preheat your grill with two zones – one for charring over direct heat and the other to rest and continue cooking without further charring. For a charcoal grills this means just lighting half of the grill and for gas grills turn one set of the the burners to high and the other to low.
This is especially important when using bone-in chicken thighs since it will take a little longer to cook all the way through compared to a filet. - We enjoy this recipe year round but if you’re not in the mood to whip out your grill in the middle of winter or don’t have access to a grill, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid smoke to your marinade for a similar smoky flavor on the stovetop.
- Flip the chicken thighs. This ensures for an even char. Flip your chicken about halfway through when charring – about 2-4 minutes on each side or until the outside achieves your desired color.
- If you’re a novice, use a meat thermometer. Chicken is safely cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. To check, insert the thermometer through to the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness, or for bone-in cuts, aim for as close to the bone as possible.
- Allow chicken thighs to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving or slicing to make sure that you don’t lose flavorful juices when cut.
Servings: 3 people
Equipment
- 1 gas/charcoal grill
- 1 pair tongs
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs chicken thighs about 6 boneless thighs
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ cup soy sauce I use less sodium
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup cilantro chopped and split in 2 half-cup portions
- 4 medium limes
- 2 tsp liquid smoke if making this recipe on stovetop
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and season with garlic, paprika, onion powder, black pepper and cilantro making sure to rub some of the seasoning under the skin if using skin-on thighs.
- Add soy sauce and honey to chicken thighs and mix until evenly covered. Allow to sit while your grill preheats to at least 450℉
- Add chicken thighs to grill (do NOT discard marinade), allowing to char to your desired color on each side and then moving to the low heat section of your grill to finish coking all the way through (see tips in post).This will take a total of about 4-7 minutes on each side.
- Once chicken thighs have cooked completely, transfer to tray and allow to rest.
- While chicken rests, prepare glaze by heating marinade in a small saucepan along with minced ginger over medium heat until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
- Remove marinade from heat, add juice from limes to glaze and stir before pouring over chicken thighs.
- Finish by sprinkling the remaining half cup of chopped cilantro over the chicken thighs.
- Enjoy with your favorite side!
Don’t be shy!Tag me on IG at @thestushkitchen & show off your cooking skills! I can’t wait to see what you cook up!
This recipe was super easy to follow and extremely delicious.
The marinade is sent from heaven! Reducing it down to use as a glaze on the chicken takes the flavor to another level! It would also be great over white rice. An amazingly flavorful dish!