These sweet soy marinated grilled chicken thighs are packed full of flavor and marinated in brown sugar, soy sauce, coconut milk, and tons of flavorful spices.
Are you looking for the most flavorful and easy boneless skinless chicken thigh grilled recipe?
Well, I have you covered with this sweet soy marinated grilled chicken thighs recipe!
The secrete is that after grilling you toss it all in melted butter and chopped green onions.
I know it sounds a little weird but TRUST ME it’s the key to making this grilled chicken taste even more AMAZING!
PLUS you cannot go wrong with any recipe that combines soy sauce, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic. It’s a literal chicken match made in heaven.
I first got the idea for this recipe when I first joined Pinterest.
It was found in the blog Best Recipes Evar and they called it Hawaiian BBQ.
I took their recipe and adapted it to add a few more personal favorite spices and touches that I knew my family would love.
Table of Contents
What type of chicken works best for this recipe?
My favorite cut of chicken for this recipe is hands down boneless skinless chicken thighs.
They hold flavor, always stay juicy, and are pretty affordable.
However, you can also use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs but you’ll need to cook the meat at a lower heat and for a longer time to make sure it’s fully cooked on the inside.
Anytime I’m using bone-in meat I like to use an instant read thermometer so I can quickly see the internal temperature.
You can also use chicken breasts but just be mindful of how long grill them as they can dry out a lot faster than chicken thighs.
Can I use this sweet soy marinade on other meats?
Of course!
This marinade works great on not just chicken but can also be used on pork or beef.
One of my personal favorites is using this on beef short ribs.
They are such a rich and delicious meat that works so well with the potent flavors found in this dish.
What do I need to make sweet soy marinated grilled chicken thighs?
Depending on how you stocked you keep you fridge and pantry you may have a lot of the stuff you need right no hand. But, if not here is a full list of what you’ll need:
- dark brown sugar
- low sodium soy sauce
- unsweetened coconut milk
- grated ginger
- grated garlic
- lemongrass paste
- chili garlic sauce
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- unsalted butter
- chopped green onions
If you don’t have reduced soy sauce on hand you can cut down on the sodium by using half of the called for soy sauce and then using water for the remaining half.
This is also a great option for anyone who finds normal soy sauce a bit too salty for their taste buds.
You can find grated ginger, garlic, and lemongrass right in the grocery store too!
This is always helpful if you don’t feel like grating it all on your own.
I find mine in the fresh fruit and vegetable section of my grocery store over by where they keep the fresh herbs. The main brand I see is Gourmet Gardens and it’s found in a small squeeze bottle.
Lastly, chili garlic sauce can usually be found in either the International/Asian aisle of the grocery store over by where you would find hot sauce like sriracha.
It’s a chunky sauce that comes with a green screw-top lid.
What can I serve with Hawaiian grilled chicken thighs?
I typically serve my chicken with rice and grilled pineapple.
Even though there is no pineapple in the marinade it works so well with the flavor-packed chicken. Plus, I love grilled pineapple because not only does it look pretty but it tastes good too!
Rice is also just my normal goto side dish as I love the way it soaks in any of the juice left behind by the chicken.
Any tips for making this grilled chicken recipe?
YES!
Please please please don’t skip the last step where you toss the grilled chicken in butter and green onions.
It makes the chicken SO GOOD! I promise. It will be worth the few extra calories – TRUST ME!
More grilled chicken recipes
Why not try a few of my other delicious chicken recipes?
- Honey Spiced Glazed Chicken
- Crispy Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Potato Dinner
- Maple Ginger Chicken Thighs
- Sheet Pan Garlic Lemon Chicken and Mushrooms
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
- Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken and Potatoes
Sweet Soy Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 10 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 2-1/2 pounds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 4 green onions trimmed and thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl add brown sugar, low sodium soy sauce, coconut milk, grated ginger, grated garlic, lemongrass paste, and chili garlic sauce.
- Whisk to combine until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add in the chicken thighs.
- Toss to coat, cover, and let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours.
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Add your chicken to the grill and grill until fully cooked, about 15 minutes.
- In a 9×13 dish add melted butter and green onions.
- Once your chicken has fully cooked remove it from the grill, add it to the dish and toss in the melted butter and green onions.
- If desired, serve with grilled pineapple.