Fire up your grill because today we’re making some Grilled Spicy Chili Garlic Chicken Thighs! This spicy glaze is perfect with tender, juicy chicken thighs, and makes for a really easy dinner. Chicken thighs are budget-friendly and unlike some other cuts of chicken, they don’t dry out.
Spicy Grilled Chili Garlic Chicken Thighs
Spicy Chili Garlic Sauce is one of my favorite homemade condiments. Simple ingredients make this very accessible with mostly pantry and fridge ingredients, and the chicken thighs are on sale often, making this one of the cheapest meals you can make.
Whether you want to make these on your pellet grill, gas grill, charcoal grill, offset smoker, or even in your oven – these chili garlic chicken thighs are going to be a big hit with your friends and family!
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Chili Garlic Chicken Thighs shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken thighs
- Chinese five spice powder
- Salt
- Jalapeño pepper powder (or cayenne)
- Granulated garlic
- Honey
- Garlic
- Butter
- Sriracha
- Vinegar
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How to make Chili Garlic Chicken Thighs on the Grill
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Preheat
Fire up the grill and let it preheat all the way to 400°F.
2
Grill
Season the chicken thighs and place onto the grill. Grill for a while before flipping. Flip and glaze. Remove when the internal temp reaches 165°F.
3
Enjoy
Enjoy with your favorite side dishes! Recommendations are below.
Try with our Homemade Potato Salad
Grilled Chili Garlic Chicken Thighs FAQ
Is there a way to reduce the heat?
Sure! Just cut back or omit the sriracha if you are overly sensitive to spice. Chili Garlic Sauce would be a good substitute, or whatever “hot” sauce you prefer that is more mild in flavor than sriracha.
What’s the best way to store and reheat these chicken thighs?
Chicken thighs are very forgiving, and make excellent leftovers. You can store them in a covered storage container or in a large baggie. Reheat in the microwave or back on the grill if you don’t have a microwave.
Is the skin crispy on these chicken thighs?
It isn’t super floppy, but it isn’t super crispy either. If you want crunchy crispy chicken skin, I’d wait to glaze the thighs until after they are cooked. Once you remove them from the grill, place them skin-side down in a pan with 1/2 inch of oil in it, preheated to about 350-375°F. Give them a couple minutes in the pan to crisp up the skin and then paint on the glaze and enjoy.
Try our Butterflied Chicken Legs with Sweet Chili Glaze!
Serve this with…
More great recipes using chicken thighs to love!
- Make our spicy Traeger Vietnamese Chicken Thighs with a big pile of Instant Pot Rice and some grilled asparagus for a crowd-pleasing dinner with these big bold flavors!
- We used boneless skinless chicken thighs for this Smoked Butter Chicken Thighs recipe, and a premade sauce to really hit the easy button while also making something amazing at home.
- Grilled Huli Huli Chicken Thighs are going to quickly become one of your most requested meals. The marinade is amazing and includes stuff you probably have in your fridge and pantry already!
- This Traeger Jerk Chicken recipe was complimented by a Jamaican who said, “Your marinade and cooking technique sound excellent!” I’ll take it! This spicy recipe using chicken thighs is as close as I’ve seen to the jerk chicken I had in Jamaica, and I know you will enjoy it too!
- Spicy Grilled Chicken Teriyaki is simple and delicious and one of our go-to meals when we can’t think of anything else to make for dinner. A staple in the Pacific Northwest, you can have it at home on your grill!
- I have made this Smoked Chicken Chile Verde THREE TIMES since I shared the recipe, that’s how much we love it. Put it into a tortilla. Eat it with a spoon. Mix it into your scrambled eggs. Whatever you want. It is amazing.
Spicy Chili Garlic Smoked Chicken Thighs
Our spicy chili garlic smoked chicken thighs are tender, have the best glaze, and are a perfect budget-friendly meal!
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs
Rub
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon jalapeño pepper powder (or cayenne)
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Chili Garlic Glaze
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 6 ounces butter
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 400°F.
- Mix together all of the rub ingredients and rub both sides of all the thighs.
- Place on the grill, skin-side down, for 8-10 minutes.
- While the thighs are grilling, combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Simmer lightly while the chicken cooks.
- Flip the thighs over so the skin side is up. Bush the glaze over the top of the thighs and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
- Flip the thighs over again and paint the other side with glaze. Close lid and cook until the internal temperature of the thighs reaches 165°F.
- Remove from the grill and let cool for a few minutes before serving with any remaining glaze on the side.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 503Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 212mgSodium: 681mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 31g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.