Sesame Soy Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs are a great budget friendly grilling recipe. Perfect for feeding a crowd at a BBQ. Chicken thighs are cooked in a sesame soy glaze.
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These grilled chicken thighs are super easy to make! The sesame soy glaze takes just a minute to whip up and is applied in the last few minutes of grilling the chicken. I love a simple recipe, especially for grilling season. Find more grilling recipes here!
The sauce for this marinade is made from soy sauce, ground ginger, and sesame oil. You do not want to add the glaze too early because the honey and sugars will burn the longer they are in contact with heat. By glazing the chicken for the last 5-10 minutes, the sugars will caramelize and the glaze will thicken without burning on the flame.
These Sesame Soy Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs are also a great budget friendly cheap meal! Chicken thighs are typically less expensive than chicken breasts and are packed full of dark meat flavor. You can use bone in or boneless, and skin on or skinless, but I prefer the bone in, skin on chicken thighs for this recipe. The skin provides extra flavor and also some protection from the flame. And the bone in chicken adds extra flavor and moisture to the meat. This recipe would also work great on other meats like chicken drumsticks, chicken breasts, and salmon. Or even vegetables!
This Sesame Soy Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs is great with vegetables like sugar snap peas and fried rice. Any type of Asian inspired recipe will compliment the flavors of this Asian chicken marinade. The glaze here is not too sweet or sticky, but if you do want it sticky and sweet, double up the honey.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds chicken thighs bone in, skin on (approximately 8 pieces)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons mirin (or 2 Tablespoons white wine plus 1/4 teaspoon sugar)
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium high (450F) for at least 10 minutes so it gets hot.
- Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Also make your marinade by combining the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- When the grill is hot, start grilling your chicken, skin (top) side down for 7-10 minutes per side. For good grill marks, do not move the chicken once you put it down!
- Flip the chicken over and baste with the glaze. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches at least 165F. Baste every few minutes to build a slightly sticky glaze on the chicken.
- Serve immediately with your favorite vegetables and sides such as sugar snap peas, fried rice, and rice noodle pastas.
