Thai Chicken Thighs
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Cilantro, Thai basil, fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar = best marinade ever. Grilled or cooked on a grill pan on the stovetop!
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why i love this recipe
- Make-ahead recipe. This is one of those great recipes to prep ahead of time for an even quicker weeknight meal. Marinate the chicken 2 hours in advance or overnight, throwing these on the grill (or cast iron grill pan) right before dinnertime.
- So much flavor. With a simple marinade of cilantro, Thai basil, fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar and ginger, you have a lovely blend of all the best Thai flavors, yielding the juiciest, most flavor-packed chicken ever.
- Versatile and flexible. This recipe will work well with any part of the chicken – breasts, thighs or tenderloins – whether it’s on the grill, on the stovetop or in the oven (more on that below).
tips and tricks for success
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor. These can also be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes (reaching an internal temperature of 165°F).
- Fish sauce is a hero. Fish sauce is a key ingredient here, balancing out the flavors, and adding saltiness and umami without overpowering it. A little bit goes a long way.
- Work in batches. An overcrowded grill or pan can lead to uneven cooking and poor browning. Work in batches to maintain high heat for a good sear and crispy crust on each chicken.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
more favorited thai recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
Thai Chicken Thighs: Frequently Asked Questions
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Fish sauce has a strong, pungent “fishy” smell but when cooked, it brings in savory, salty, umami goodness.
Yes! Dark brown sugar will have a more pronounced molasses flavor, giving the chicken a slightly darker color but because this marinade requires such a small amount (1 TBS), dark brown sugar and light brown sugar can be used interchangeably here.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Thai Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup chopped Thai basil leaves
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, basil, green onions, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons canola oil, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, ginger, salt and pepper.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and cilantro mixture, marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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Wow! So delicious and fresh tasting. My husband said this is his favorite recipe we’ve ever made! Definitely a keeper recipe!
Fam loved it. Made recipe exactly and added a couple boneless breasts in addition to thighs. Served with a cilantro rice and asparagus for a bowl presentation.
I have made several times and it is awesome. Has anyone froze it? I need to prep some some meals for freezer and would love this one.
Hi,
It looks delicious!
Before trying it, I have a few questions:
1) What about adding grated lemongrass stalks, bird’s eye chilies, and kafir lime leaves to the marinade? All of them are widely used in Thai cuisine.
2) Can I reuse the marinade as a cooking liquid for veggies (mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes) to accompany the chicken? In this case, should I multiply the marinade ingredient quantities by an appropriate factor?
I did and I added garlic & then coconut milk for a cooking liquid. I also sautéed some onions and baby bella mushrooms & it was really good. I don’t think I would add the salt to the marinade next time as it was a bit salty for my taste due to the fish sauce, but just salt the chicken before putting it on the grill. I love the idea of lemongrass, chilis & kafir leaves! I’m wishing I had thought of that, but making a sauce for the dish was an afterthought once I had a bag of marinade leftover. It did need some heat though! I also did not add the extra oil, salt & pepper to the chicken before grilling. Excellent dish that I will make again soon!
@melinda- Did you just add the raw marinade to a pan and cook the veggies and garlic in marinade then added coconut milk?
Planning on pan-frying and finishig in the oven..trying to work out order to use marinade as a sauce, add veggies to have over rice.
Thanks!
We grilled the chicken after only marinating for 2 hours and it turned out great!! I made it with coconut rice and asparagus. I will definitely be making this again with no changes.
These were delicious! I only used 1 tbsp of fish sauce in the marinade and cooked them in a cast iron pan! Very good dinner with jasmine rice and broccoli!
Hi,
This looks so delicious. Just wondering if you have any recommendations for cooking this in the oven. I don’t have a grill.
This was the tastiest delicious recipe I’ve had in a long while. I served it with steamed rice and broccoli.
Great tasting, family loved it. We marinated for 5 hours next time I will do long. There will definitely be a next time!
I made thus yesterday and it was really delicious. I didn’t have time to marinate overnight, but four hours was enough to get a really good flavor.
Due to the brown sugar in the marinade, you have to pay attention to the heat though. It burns more easily when it gets caramelized.
I will definitely make this again 🙂
Fantastic recipe! I marinated the chicken thighs for about 9 hours before it hit the grill and it was so delicious. Husband and son loved it — served with basmati rice and pan seared shishito peppers. The flavors were just perfect and didn’t overpower. Will make this again!
We made this tonight and it is just fabulous!!! The flavors are so rich and complex but the chicken shines through. It’s easy and so tender!! This is going to take top spot on my stack of chicken recipes. We’ll make it again and again, I’m sure. It looks like a fair amount of prep, but the fresh herbs go quickly because I chopped up the stems, too, since it was going to be drained off. Quick, easy, perfect!! I’m already sharing it with my cooking friends!!
I used peanut oil (we don’t like canola oil odor or taste)and date palm sugar (less harsh-traditional Thai ingredient) plus some minced Thai Chiles/Phrik Kee Nu (also available in jar minced if fresh not available)
My family LOVED this recipe! We will absolutely make this again. I saw lots of comments on the “stinky” fish sauce. Invest in a quality fish sauce like you would invest in a good olive oil. It makes all the difference! I personally love the brand of fish sauce called Red Boat.
Good call!
Don’t know the recipe managed to smell more like the fish sauce than anything & the taste wasn’t good enough to get past the fish smell. I wanted to really love it, especially since it had such great reviews but unfortunately was not what I was expecting
We’re sorry to hear this one didn’t turn out for you, Paula. If you are not a fan of fish sauce, then this recipe is certainly not for you.
The quality of Fish Sauce is a huge factor. The higher the quality, the less pungent the smell. I used to use grocery store brands. Now I get a brand that doesn’t have much English in it.
My husband and I thought these were absolutely delicious – I used a combo of fish sauce and soy sauce as I finished up my fish sauce and did not have quite enough – it worked fine. They smelled heavenly while cooking – We will be doing these again. Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe!
We’re so glad you and your hubby enjoyed it so much, Paula! 🙂
Where is the nutrition information?
Hi EB! Nutritional information is provided only for select and new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”). Hope that helps!
Made this for supper last night and it ended with deliciously positive reviews from my family! So quick and simple to make, I love trying new marinades!
We’re so glad this was such a hit with the family, Kimberley!
Although these are a little stinky where the marinade is concerned (the fish sauce is culprit), the end result is absolutely delicious…i.e. Damned Delicious. We marinated overnight to get maximum flavor and used Italian basil instead of Thai basil because of availability. After grilling them, the chicken thighs remained succulent and mildly flavored with the marinade ingredients with a slight kiss of the smoke from the grill. These are quite simple, but extraordinarily tasty and tender and would make a great dinner party entree.
Yes, the fish sauce is very strong but so so worth it! 🙂
I was so excited to try this recipe. It’s not often that I have all the ingredients at home! I’m actually growing Thai basil in my garden this year, so I was anxious to use it. This recipe did not disappoint! I love the flavors and it was easy to put together in the morning for dinner. Thank you.
Homegrown is the best! Thanks for sharing with us, Maria!