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.
Ingredient Notes
- 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.
- Brown Sugar – this adds the perfect balance of sweetness. Use light, or dark would be fine as well.
- Ginger – this recipe calls for fresh ginger, which I think is especially great. If you’ve never worked with fresh ginger, here’s a how-to. I’ve also used powdered dry ginger in a pinch and that will work as well, if you don’t have fresh.
- Lime Juice – I recommend using a fresh lime, as opposed to bottled lime juice.
How to Make Asian BBQ Chicken
Combine all ingredients in a zip top bag and add chicken thighs. It’s that easy!
Then grill it up on your bbq (or use an indoor grill pan or broiler if you don’t have a bbq).
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.
Serving Suggestions
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.
And if you end up with extra chicken, try this Asian BBQ Chicken Pizza!
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°. However, you’ll want to aim for between 170-175° for improved flavor and texture.
- Optional: garnish with sliced green onions.
Notes
- I recommend making 1 1/2 times the marinade. I reserve some of the marinade before adding the chicken and then use it in the last few minutes of grilling, or just brush it on after for extra flavor.
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
I made this tonight with enough for plenty of leftovers… tomorrow night we’ll use it on pizza! I broiled it in my convection oven and it only took 10 minutes to cook – nice! My husband is glad that I finally decided to make dark meat – he has always wished I liked it. Between this recipe and Spicy Honey Chicken (which we have made twice in the last month), he is very happy with my cooking right now!
Hahah, I love how you say if t here is left over chicken use it on pizza. Left overs?? Of this?? Impossible! It is just TOO delicious! (I made a family size pack of thighs for just my husband and I and we were licking the platter wishing for more!) Wish I had mango’s to try the rice.
I made it on the inside grill as there is snow on the ground and no one wanted to go out and barb=b-q, but I can not wait to try it out there next!
(snow on the ground, on the West coast of Canada, in March??? I know… Crazy! I have never seen this before!) Come on spring!
So amazing! My husband and I LOVE every recipe we’ve made from your site. Thanks! And I made mine with chicken breast, used ground ginger (since I didn’t have fresh on hand) and only marinated it for an hour and half and it was still awesome. But I can definitely see how it would be super super good with the tender thigh meat. My only regret is I did not make more to have leftovers!
aww man. When I was at BYUH we used to have a similar bbq chicken during our shifts at PCC. Man I was missing that stuff… but not nowwww.. cos now I can make it 😉
I’m a newlywed with a chef for a mother, so needless to say I have not spent a lot of time cooking in the kitchen mostly just watching and being the taste-tester. When I came across your website via my mother-in-law I fell in love with it. Love this recipe it was easy enough for a kitchen-simpleton like me to do it.
This is our family’s favorite grilled chicken recipe! Even my son, who “hates chicken” goes back for seconds. I have made it a few times this summer and have not had leftovers 🙁 I use about 3.5 lbs of chicken thighs for our family of 6. Delicious!!!
The best bbq chicken ever! The thing I like most is that it tastes just how my dad used to make it (and my dad is Chinese, so that must mean something about its authentic Asian taste 🙂 Thank you so much for all the tasty recipes!
Oh my. This is fantastic!!! Made it last night for supper. It ended up marinating in the fridge for 2 days because my plans changed. I cheated and picked up some fried rice from the restaurant I work next to. Steamed some broccoli and we had peaches for dessert. It was amazing!!! I was excited to make the pizza with the leftovers, but there weren’t any! My husband said, that’s ok, you can make it again next week! Definitely a keeper! Thank you!!! And I hope to try to make your fried rice sometime when I have more time.
Thanks for the great recipe! We tried it last weekend & it was a hit! Makes great leftovers, too! We reviewed it & linked to your website. If you want to see our review, go here: http://www.ratetheplateutah.com/2011/07/eat-in-asian-bbq-chicken.html. Thanks again!
My sister-in-law made this chicken a few weeks ago and it was delicious!! My husband and I have had it several times since. We have tried several other recipies from this site and have loved every one of them!! We are so glad my sister-in-law showed us your site, we were in a cooking rut! I actually like planning dinner now because I know it won’t be the same ole things we have all the time!