This easy grilled chicken thigh recipe has the most delicious, homemade gluten-free teriyaki marinade. With just a 20-minute marinade, this BBQ chicken recipe is quick and simple to prepare, and full of flavor. Gas grill and Traeger grill cooking instructions included!
Boneless skinless chicken thighs might be the easiest protein to grill. They have a higher fat content so they don’t dry out like chicken breasts, and they cook quickly as they’re on the thinner side. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed a fast dinner and relied on chicken thighs to save the day.
This gluten free teriyaki chicken is just another example of how fast a great meal can come together. I love a quick marinade and this one has lots of great flavor. It’s not your typical teriyaki, where it’s sticky and overly sweet, but it IS delicious.
If you’re looking for another grilled chicken thighs marinade, be sure and check out my easy grilled chicken recipe with pineapple. Or if chicken breasts are more your thing, I have a Greek grilled chicken breast that uses a dry brine to lock in the moisture.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to always grill food to the right internal temperature. If you need help with that, check out both my guide to internal temperature for grilling meat and my article on how to use a meat thermometer for grilling.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – you want boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Make sure they’re raw and fresh, not frozen or pre-cooked.
- Coconut aminos – I typically use Coconut Secret coconut aminos, but use whatever your favorite brand is, or whatever you have on hand.
- Balsamic vinegar – an aged balsamic will be slightly sweeter, so keep that in mind when choosing which kind to use in this recipe.
- Sesame oil – use a toasted sesame oil for a little more flavor.
- Garlic – I use large cloves because I love the flavor of garlic. Use whatever size cloves you like to vary the garlic flavor in the marinade.
- Ground ginger – make sure your ginger is fresh. Ground ginger will lose its pungency if it’s been sitting in your cabinet for a long time.
- Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt in this recipe. If you use a different type of kosher salt, use slightly less. If you use table salt, use about half the amount.
- Scallions – also known as green onions. Make sure to remove any wilted or brown pieces before chopping.
HOW TO MAKE A GLUTEN-FREE TERIYAKI MARINADE FOR CHICKEN THIGHS
Making the marinade is essentially just putting everything into a container and mixing it all together. Start by chopping the green onions, then add everything to the container (I like to use a mason jar), put a lid on it, and give it a good shake.
Chris Cable
This recipe was simple and very easy to follow and the results were fantastic!
Taryn Solie
Glad you liked it!
Cynthia Shortridge
I made this last night and thought it was super easy. Unfortunately the flavor of the marinade did not come through on the final product. Maybe it needed to marinate longer?
Thanks!