How Long To Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs
Chicken is a delicious meal when you learn how to cook it properly. Here we have a detailed post on how long to grill boneless chicken thighs for you to follow when cooking at home.
There are many ways to cook chicken, and you can also select different cuts of chicken. Depending on the part and the thickness of the chicken, the cooking process is also different.
Chicken can be tough on some parts, but the other ones are too delicate. That is why cooking them is difficult since you need to make sure that you get the right temperature.
You need to know how sensitive each part of the chicken is to heat when cooking to know how long to cook them. However, it is a bit of a hassle to learn each part of the chicken.
Cooking each part of the chicken is pretty tough, especially if you do not know the basics. You need to protect the outer sides without letting them burn or leave the interior raw and pink.
The last thing you need is a grilled chicken thigh that is pink in the middle. Here, we will see how long you should cook boneless chicken thighs on the grill to cook to perfection.
How Long To Cook Thighs On The Grill?
If you cook boneless chicken thighs on the grill, you will need approximately 8 to 10 minutes to cook them properly. That way, the heat will have cooked the middle part of the thighs.
This will ensure that all the bacteria inside the chicken are cooked properly and removed to prevent infecting your body. You can also adjust the timer according to the thickness of the cut.
If your chicken thighs are thick, you need to cook them longer. Just do not leave any pink colors on the chicken because, contrary to what you see on the internet, it is not safe to eat.
The pink color on the chicken meat is because of raw blood and muscles which can still contain many bacteria. You can easily get diseases such as salmonella if you do not cook it through.
Do not worry and be patient when cooking since boneless chicken thighs cook shorter than bone-in thighs. So just make sure that the chicken reaches the safe internal temperature.
Do I Cook With The Skin Side First?
If you left the skin on the chicken thighs, you need to cook them with the skins side down first. That way, the chicken skin will become crispy and beautifully browned when cooked.
Keep it cooking for about 5 minutes with the skin side down and then flip it over. After that, you can keep the skin side up for the rest of the cooking process or until the insides are cooked.
Cooking the skin side down first will protect the insides from overcooking, but you also need to be careful not to overcook the skin itself as it can easily become too crispy and too bitter.
Ensure that you cook it just right and flip it over once the skin is slightly brown and crispy. It will then depend on the thickness of the meat how long to cook the other side.
To know whether or not the chicken thighs are fully cooked, measure the internal temperature and then remove the chicken from the grill once it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
What To Do Without A Meat Probe?
It is best to invest in a good meat probe or meat thermometer if you love cooking steaks and chicken on the grill. It will help you determine the right temperature for cooking the meat.
You will know if the chicken is safe to remove from the grill and eat even without cutting through the chicken thighs. That way, you get to preserve the juices inside as well.
If you do not have a meat probe or meat thermometer, you can test the boneless chicken thighs with a fork.
Poke through the surface of the chicken and check the color of the juice that comes out.
If the juices are a little bit pink, then the chicken needs to be cooked further, once the chicken has clear juices, that means that the insides is all done and you can remove it from the grill.
However, this technique is not that reliable, and the only way to surely know is to cut through the chicken.
Cutting the boneless chicken thighs on the grill will disrupt the cooking process. You will need to cook the side you have sliced if you do not want it to dry out before serving the chicken.
What Temperature Should I Cook Boneless Chicken Thighs On?
If you want to grill boneless chicken thighs, you need to cook them fast and hot. For a regular boneless chicken thigh, you need to set the grill temperature to 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit.
The skin is pretty sensitive and will curl up almost instantly, but that is not a problem. Just cook the chicken for about 6 minutes per side at this temperature and you will cook it faster.
Just be careful not to burn the chicken and its outer parts. This can easily happen if you cook the chicken over direct heat, especially if there are many flare-ups, so reduce them quickly.
Even if the cooking time is pretty fast, you still need to make sure that the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit for them to be safe to eat when cooked.
Should I Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs Over Direct Or Indirect Heat?
Cooking the boneless chicken thighs over direct heat is great, especially if you use charcoal or pellet grills. It will give the chicken a slight barbecue and smoky taste.
However, you need to be careful as it can easily burn the chicken. Ensure the chicken does not stick to the grill grates by cleaning the grates first and wiping it with paper towels and oil.
You can also marinate the chicken with an oil-based marinade to prevent it from sticking. However, make sure not to put too much marinade as the drippings will cause flare-ups.
If that happens, you should use a flame guard and put it underneath the grill grates to catch the drippings. If you are grilling the boneless chicken thighs directly, go with 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Flip them regularly to prevent the chicken from burning. If you are using indirect heat or cooking the chicken with the fire on the other side of the grill, you can flip them over just once.
Again, make sure that the internal temperature of the boneless chicken thighs reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. From there, you can drizzle them with your favorite sauce and serve.
How Long To Grill Boneless Chicken Thighs At 350 Degrees Fahrenheit?
The chicken thighs will cook slower at this temperature, so you need to cook them for a longer time. This is perhaps the safest way to prevent burning boneless chicken thighs.
For the chicken thighs to be cooked properly at this temperature, you need to cook them for at least 50 minutes. The heat will slowly go into the chicken and cook the middle properly.
Make sure you insert the meat probe into the thickest part of the boneless chicken thighs and then remove them from the grill once they reach the desired internal temperature.
Conclusion
Grilling is one of the most fun cooking styles that you can do at home. You can make any type of recipe that you want without switching to other types of cooking appliances.
If you want a great meal full of flavors and a soft texture, then you should go with boneless chicken thighs. You can make them with the grill in your backyard.
Just time them p[operly and follow the tips above to make sure that you cook the chicken the right way so they are safe to eat without the bacteria inside the meat.
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