Garlic & Ginger Grilled Chicken Thighs


This recipe for Asian Grilled Chicken Thighs is a standard in our home. We eat a lot of chicken and we probably have this particular meal at least once a week. I love the Asian inspired flavors with the ginger, garlic, sesame, and rice wine vinegar. A little sweet and spicy!


I find that it is best when marinated overnight to allow the flavors to really absorb into meat and makes every bite tender and juicy. We usually grill the chicken outside, so on those hot summer days we do not have to cook inside. I also love the fact that it is grilled, so the mess and clean up is minimal. Pair this with some grilled vegetables and you have a low carb (about 2 carbs per thigh) and healthy meal that everyone will love. 

For this recipe, you will need:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper  
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger 
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, adjust to taste
1 tbsp Sriracha sauce, optional if you want some extra spice
2 pounds skinless chicken thighs 

Directions:

1. Combine the soy sauce, sweetener, salt, pepper, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste the marinade and see if it needs more sweetener or salt. Everyone is different on what they think is too sweet or salty or not salty or sweet enough.

2. Place in a zip top bag and add the chicken. Seal the bag and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator at least four hours. Overnight is best in order for the flavors to penetrate the meat. Try to flip the bag over at least 4 times if marinating overnight.  

3. You can cook the chicken on a grill for 3 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for 5 minutes. Continue cooking, turning every 2 minutes. Cook the thighs a total of approximately 10-12 minutes.

4. Remove chicken from heat and serve. 

*Use gluten free soy sauce to make this recipe GF

** You can use any sugar free sweetener you have already on hand. Sugar free pancake syrup works amazingly well as a sweetener. I know it sounds strange, but trust me it tastes great in this recipe. If you are not on a low carb diet, you can use brown sugar instead.