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Chicken Thigh Marinade

Chicken thigh marinade with a bright lemon-garlic herb base for juicy grilled thighs with a deep, golden, herby crust. This all-purpose chicken marinade emulsifies for even coating, then caramelizes into charred grill marks as it cooks.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs total.
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 4 garlic, minced About 4 cloves.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 fresh herbs for serving Optional but recommended.

Method
 

Make and coat
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until emulsified.
  2. Add boneless skinless chicken thighs to the marinade and toss to coat completely.
Marinate
  1. Refrigerate the chicken thighs at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours, so the flavor penetrates before cooking.
Grill or sear and finish
  1. Grill over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes per side until caramelized char marks appear.
  2. If pan-searing instead, heat a hot oiled skillet and cook for 5–6 minutes per side until caramelized char marks appear.
  3. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F in the thickest part of the thighs.
  4. Rest the chicken thighs for 5 minutes before serving, then garnish with fresh herbs for serving.

Notes

For the best crust, pat the chicken lightly after marinating so the surface can brown, and don’t skip the full 5-minute rest to keep juices inside. Refrigerate marinated chicken up to 24 hours; cooked thighs keep 3–4 days in the fridge and can be frozen up to 3 months. For a lower-sugar option, replace honey with an equal amount of sugar-free honey or omit it and add a pinch more lemon zest to keep the flavor bright.