This Asian BBQ Chicken recipe is always on my most-requested list. I often make it for company because it’s such a reliable hit. If you haven’t discovered this one, then definitely put it on your to-make list! Chicken thighs soak up a great marinade with flavors including soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic and ginger. Make sure to check out my recommendations for side dishes at the end of this post, because it’s especially great with some of our coordinating rice sides.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Marinade
- Brown Sugar – This adds the perfect balance of sweetness. Use light or dark.
- Soy Sauce – My favorite brand is Aloha, but feel free to use any brand you like. With the exception of Aloha brand, I suggest a low-sodium soy sauce.
- Lime Juice – I recommend using a fresh lime, as opposed to bottled lime juice. If you don’t have fresh lime juice, I would recommend True Lime crystals. I always have a big shaker jar of True Lime in my cupboard!
- Cayenne pepper – This marinade is not spicy. The Cayenne just adds a little kick of flavor.
- Curry powder
- Fresh garlic
- Ginger – This recipe calls for fresh ginger, which I think is especially great. I’ve also used powdered dry ginger in a pinch and that will work as well, if you don’t have fresh.
Chicken
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – I highly recommend chicken thighs for this recipe because they stay tender on the grill and soak up the marinade beautifully. If you’d rather use chicken breasts, I recommend cutting them in half or pounding them thin before marinating so they will cook through quickly on the high heat of the grill before the sugar in the marinade burns.
- Green onions – For garnish.
How to Make Asian BBQ Chicken
- This couldn’t be easier: combine all of the marinate ingredients in a zip-top bag and and add the chicken thighs. Let those hang out in the fridge for a few hours.
- When dinner time rolls around, grill those babies up in just a few minutes!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftover cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- I actually like to make 1.5 times the marinade and reserve a little (before adding the raw chicken) to brush on in the last few minutes of cooking and/or drizzle over the top before serving.
- One of the reasons I love this chicken is that it can be served with so many things. You can go Asian-ish, or Thai-ish, or Polynesian-ish. I love it with this Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple, and it’s also great with Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice, or even Fried Rice. When I made it for these photos I made some Jasmine rice and when it was done cooking I added a few pats of butter, a handful of both sliced green onions and cilantro, some diced mango and salt and pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, just make sure they are cut or pounded thin before marinating. Chicken thighs are much more forgiving on the grill and full of flavor, so I definitely prefer them here!
You can definitely get these chicken thighs marinating early. They can marinate up to 12 hours. If you want to plan ahead even more, make the marinade and pop it in the fridge the day before. Once ready to grill, these cook up super fast!
We have had readers report that they have had success putting the marinade and chicken directly into the slow cooker or pressure cooker without marinading. Keep in mind if you try either of these that the marinade may be quite salty when essentially turned into a sauce. I would probably dilute it a little with chicken broth if using it in this way. Cooking this recipe in either of these manners will change the texture of the chicken (think shreddable and saucy) and will not result in the delicious outer layer the barbecue provides, but the delicious flavors will all still be there.
Asian BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice about 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh grated
Chicken
- 8 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- green onions, sliced for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Combine everything but the chicken and optional green onions in a small bowl. (See note.) Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Place marinade and chicken in a zip-lock bag. Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or longer if you have it (even overnight).
- Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Using a digital thermometer, cook chicken until it is a minimum temperature of 165°F. However, you’ll want to aim for between 170-175°F for improved flavor and texture.
- Optional: garnish with sliced green onions.
Notes
- Store leftover cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- I actually like to make 1.5 times the marinade and reserve a little (before adding the raw chicken) to brush on in the last few minutes of cooking and/or drizzle over the top before serving.
- One of the reasons I love this chicken is that it can be served with so many things. You can go Asian-ish, or Thai-ish, or Polynesian-ish. I love it with this Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple, and it’s also great with Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice, or even Fried Rice. When I made it for these photos I made some Jasmine rice and when it was done cooking I added a few pats of butter, a handful of both sliced gre
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
This is the BEST chicken marinade! We never have leftovers when I make it and we love it with the Thai Peanut Noodles! So Yummy!
I’m making this tomorrow night with the fried rice—I’ll steam the rice today and let it get good and cold overnight.
I wonder if I can jump in—I think this would work fine with breasts—just be sure to pound them thin, about 1/4″, and lay flat in the bag to marinate. Be sure to marinate them as long as possible, at least 4 hours. It helps impart the flavor to the breasts, which don’t have much flavor on their own. Thighs are much more flavorful on their own.
This will be the fourth recipe I’ve tried off this site, and all the others I’ve made have instantly become family favorites. I think my extended family ate about 20 pounds of your peppermint bark popcorn this past winter. I’ve bought stock in white chocolate and peppermint extract. 🙂
Oh, I’m loving this already! I’m going to stick this recipe in from of my hubby and demand it be made on our next sunny day 🙂
Definitely one of our favorite recipes too. We made this a month or two ago and then did the Asian BBQ Chicken Pizza on the grill a day or two later and both were so good! I agree that thighs are definitely the way to go on this one. They just turn out so tender and juicy. Ugh, why do you guys always make me have to wipe the saliva off my keyboard when I check your blog? 🙂
Yep! This is probably my favorite grilled chicken of yours as well … well, this and the chicken veggie skewers with that awesome marinade. I’ve cooked your cookbook just about cover to cover (three more recipes left) without a single disappointment 🙂 You girls are simply the best!
This is so one of my favorites to make…thanks for “reminding” me to make it again soon!
OK, I’m with Amy on this one. I just can’t bring myself to like/eat/make chicken thighs. Even the boneless ones. So will it be so much less wonderful if I use chicken breasts? What if I cut boneless/skinless chicken breasts in half so they are roughly the same size as thighs? Please, please tell me this will work out ok!
The thighs are my favorite part of the chicken. Thighs marinated in brown sugary garlicky goodness, even better.
I now believe you about the chicken thighs. I tried the spicy honey chicken, and even though I was tempted to use breast, I didn’t. The thighs were delicious! I can’t wait to try this recipe too. Love your blog, you girls are awesome!
OK, can I make this with chicken breasts? I just have to ask…I have the heebie jeebies when I eat meat with bones. I’m sorry, I really try, but it just grosses me out… Any suggestions? This just sounds so delicious!
Amy, the recipe calls for boneless, skinless meat so there’s no bones 🙂