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Sweet, savory, and smoky—this Asian BBQ chicken is marinated in amazing flavors and grilled to perfection. An easy recipe for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Bold flavor in every bite – a perfect balance of sweet, savory, smoky, and tangy.
Simple ingredients – pantry staples and easy-to-find spices come together fast.
Versatile cooking options – grill it, bake it, or cook it on the stovetop.
Family favorite – juicy, flavorful chicken that even picky eaters will love.
Perfect for meal prep – makes great leftovers for rice bowls, salads, or wraps.
Ingredients Needed
- 8 skinless chicken thighs, boneless
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp lime juice about 2 limes depending on size
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp curry powder
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
How to Make Asian BBQ Chicken
- Combine brown sugar, soy sauc, lime juice, cayenne pepper, curry powder, garlic and ginger in a small bowl.
- Whisk until sugar is disolved.
- Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the marinade in a small bowl and place the rest, with the chicken, in a zip-lock bag.
- Refrigerate marinating chicken overnight. If you are short on time, allow to marinate for at least 4 hours.
- Grill chicken until internal temperature is 165 degrees. About 5-10 minutes each side depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Brush with reserved marinade the last few minutes of grilling.
- Garnish with some chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Tips from leigh Anne
- Lightly oil your grill grates with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Be careful not to burn your hand.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, do not cut into the chicken to see if it is done, this releases all the juices and dries the chicken out. You want a temperature of 165 degrees F.
- You can also bake this chicken in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. Brush with the reserved marinade the last five minutes.
- When I bring the meat home from the store, I mix up the marinade and add the meat into it and then freeze it. That way the meat is marinating as it is thawing and it makes for easier and quicker meal prep on those nights when life is busy!
Pair This With:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
If using chicken breasts, pound with a mallet or meat tenderizer to get chicken an even thickness. This will allow the chicken to cook more evenly and you won’t end up with the thinner half of the chicken dried out by the time the thicker section is cooked through.
What is the best way to store leftover chicken?
Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze Asian BBQ chicken?
Yes! Freeze the cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Can I make it spicier?
Definitely! Add sriracha, chili flakes, or gochujang to the marinade for a kick of heat.
Try these other Asian flavored recipes:
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
Asian BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp lime juice about 2 limes depending on size
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp curry powder
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Instructions
- Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar
- Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the marinade in a small bowl and place the rest, with the chicken, in a zip-lock bag.
- You will use the reserved marinade to baste the chicken with the last five minutes of cooking
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best
- Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler) or preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook
- Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness
- Brush with reserved marinade the last few minutes of cooking or grilling.
Tips & Notes:
- Lightly oil your grill grates with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Be careful not to burn your hand.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, do not cut into the chicken to see if it is done, this releases all the juices and dries the chicken out. You want a temperature of 165 degrees F.
- You can also bake this chicken in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. Brush with the reserved marinade the last five minutes.
- When I bring the meat home from the store, I mix up the marinade and add the meat into it and then freeze it. That way the meat is marinating as it is thawing and it makes for easier and quicker meal prep on those nights when life is busy!
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Nutrition Facts:
Darlene Young says
My family loved this! It has so much flavor and easy to make!
Darlene Young says
This was exceptionally good. We were all surprised at how yummy it was, so flavorful. It was easy to put together too. After we tested it I took Leighanne’s advice and made up about four of these marinades with chicken and put them in the freezer! Easy to take out of freezer and thaw in the frig even the day of.
I highly recommend this.
ColleenB.-Tx. says
Thank You.
Passing this recipe onto our son-in-law.