Grilled Lemon Chicken Thighs

These grilled chicken thighs are juicy and smoky, with a fresh lemon-herb marinade and finishing sauce to brighten things up. The perfect summer main dish - great for both weeknights and entertaining!

📝 Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped hardy fresh herb leaves, such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano, or any combination of these
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder ((not garlic salt))
• 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds (8-10 medium-large pieces) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ( trimmed of excess fat)
• 1 whole lemon, (cut in half)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Marinate: In a low, wide bowl or baking dish (a deep dish pie plate works great), create the marinade by stirring together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, honey, Dijon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Measure out 2 tablespoons and set aside to use as a finishing sauce.
2. 2Add chicken thighs to the marinade and massage to coat all sides well. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to a few hours covered in the refrigerator.
3. 3Grill: Once chicken has marinated for 30 minutes, heat grill to high, about 500°F. Then clean the grates and oil them well (see Notes below).
4. 4Using tongs, lift chicken thighs out of the dish and let excess marinade drip off. Place top (smooth) side down on the grates. Add lemon halves, cut sides down. Close grill lid and cook for about 3½ minutes, or just until the chicken shows nice char marks. Flip chicken thighs over. Remove lemon halves whenever they are very nicely charred.
5. 5Close grill lid and immediately turn heat down to low. Cook on second side for another 6-7 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (test several thighs to be sure, and move them around on the grill if needed). I personally like to cook chicken thighs to 170°-175°F, and they're always tender and juicy.
6. 6Transfer chicken to a serving platter and generously squeeze grilled lemon halves over the top. Spoon reserved 2 tablespoons marinade over the chicken to finish, and serve hot!