Grilled Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken Thighs

Marinated in a simple balsamic and brown sugar sauce, these grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs are moist, juicy, and loaded with flavor. Don’t let grilling season end without making this recipe!

Aug 13, 2024

Who would have thought that one of the least expensive cuts of chicken is also one of the juiciest, most flavorful cuts. I’m talking about boneless skinless chicken thighs, and they’re featured in today’s recipe.

Chicken thighs have gotten a bad rap over the years because they contain more fat and calories than chicken breasts. While that’s true, the differences may not be as extreme as you think. Let’s compare boneless skinless chicken breasts to boneless skinless chicken thighs.

The main differences between chicken thighs and chicken breasts (4-ounce cooked serving of each) it that thighs have an additional 16 calories, 5 grams of total fat, and 1.4 grams of saturated fat. That’s all.

The small amount of extra fat found in the thighs provides a whole lot of extra flavor. Compared to chicken breast, chicken thighs tend to be more tender, succulent and rich tasting. Another benefit is that thigh meat remains juicy and moist even when slightly overcooked, something that can’t be said about overcooked chicken breast. And as I mentioned earlier, chicken thighs are typically more budget-friendly than chicken breasts.

From a health standpoint, there’s no reason to shy away from chicken thighs if that’s what you prefer. Both thighs and breasts, when eaten without the skin, are nutritious options. They’re packed with protein and supply beneficial nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, selenium, and zinc.

No matter the cut of poultry you select, handle it properly to lessen the risk of foodborne illness. Always wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken. Use separate utensils and cutting boards for raw and cooked poultry and cook it to a safe internal temperature. For chicken thighs and breasts, that’s 165 degrees F.

To your health,

Darlene

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GRILLED BALSAMIC and BROWN SUGAR GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh

Prep: 10 minutes

Ready: 30 minutes (not including marinating time)

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Remaining ingredients

6 (5 ounces each) raw boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sliced green onion (green and white parts)
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

To prepare marinade, whisk together vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger root, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Place chicken thighs in a resealable zip-top bag, add marinade, seal bag, and rotate bag until marinade coats all sides of the chicken. Refrigerate and allow chicken to marinate at least 8 hours, or overnight for maximum flavor.
When ready to cook chicken, prepare outdoor grill and brush grill grate with vegetable oil to prevent sticking (to oil the grill grate, use tongs to hold a wad of paper towel that has been dipped in oil and rub the oil-soaked towel over grate). Place chicken on grill and discard remaining marinade. Grill approximately 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. Allow cooked chicken to rest 5 minutes. Garnish thighs with green onion and sesame seeds and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving

225 Calories, 10 g Total fat, 2.5 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 151 mg Cholesterol, 199 mg Sodium, 3 g Total carbohydrate, 0 g Dietary fiber, 3 g Total sugars, 2 g Added sugars, 28 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 14 mg (2%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 363 mg (7%) Potassium