Spicy, sweet, and supremely simple, these quick Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs should be your go-to dinner solution! Pairing them with a chunky Pineapple Salsa amps up the flavors and cools down the heat from the sriracha at the same time!
So, it’s been a minute.
Or like over 10,000 if you wanna get technical.
It’s been a quiet summer over here, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been a busy one! If you’re an Instagram follower of mine, you’ve surely seen my stories in the last few weeks. There have been SO many yummy things happening in my kitchen, but like zero of them have shown up here.
I promise, yours are coming.
My bestie and business partner Lara and I have been hustling to keep our photography clients happy! Which is only one reason I’ve been MIA, but definitely the most important one.
In the meantime, August is almost over, but I’m still grilling up a storm! Summer isn’t my fave, but you wouldn’t know it from our weekly meals!
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Salsa.
Sriracha gives me life.
Honestly, would you believe there was a time in my life where I didn’t like spicy foods?
I mean, you couldn’t even get me to eat mild salsa, and that’s practically just chunky ketchup.
As an adult with developed taste buds, now it goes on everything from Pad Thai to Pizza Rolls.
It was only a matter of time before this Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thigh recipe was born.
And chicken thighs! That’s another example of tastes changing. I used to be a white meat only kinda girl – give me boneless skinless or give me death.
Imagine my delight when I discovered that thighs are one of the most flavorful parts of the chicken. Not only that, they’re the cheapest and most versatile parts, also.
We constantly have a supply of chicken thighs in our freezer (perks of having a butcher for a husband) just waiting to be part of a recipe like this!
Chicken on the grill – in addition to corn on the cob and burgers – and one of my all-time favorite dinners. This recipe might just become one of your favorites, too!
What is Sriracha?
Sriracha is a hot chili sauce that’s taken the Western world by storm in the last decade.
Made from a paste of chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, it’s named after Si Racha, a city Thailand where it’s believed to have been first produced. It’s frequently used as a dipping sauce, but is also enjoyed in soups, on eggs and burgers, and as part of other various sauces.
As delicious as these spicy glazed grilled chicken thighs are, they aren’t complete without a few side dishes…plus something to cool down the heat a bit.
How to make Pineapple Salsa
Salsas are one of those sides that go with more than just a bag of chips!
This is no run-of-the-mill salsa, though. We’re talking
- ○ Grilled pineapple chunks
- ○ Creamy avocado
- ○ Crunchy cucumber
- ○ Juicy grape tomatoes
- ○ Spicy bits of jalapeno
- ○ Sweet onion
- ○ Lime juice and zest to tie it all together
- ○ And some optional cilantro, if you’re into it.
We’ll dive into grilling pineapple later this week, but just be sure to not skip this step.
You can just as well use chunks straight from the fruit, but grilled pineapple is so freaking good, and really adds to this whole meal.
It’s extra sweet and juicy, thanks to the flame-caramelized sugar. Just cut one in half and plop it on the grill with your chicken. Let it cool before hollowing out the shell and using it as a serving dish for the final product!
Toss all of your ingredients into a big bowl, sprinkle on a bit of salt (since salt enhances the flavor of every little thing), and toss to your heart’s content.
Then plop it all into your pineapple shell and keep it in the fridge until dinner. (As an alternative to grilling your pineapple, you can also whip up this Spicy Pineapple Mango Salsa if you’ve got extra ingredients on hand!)
Or grab that reserved bag of tortilla chips and nibble away a bit before the chicken is ready.
…I can’t be the only one who always has a bag of chips on hand.
How long do you grill chicken thighs?
○ Depending on your grill and its surface temperature, as well as the size of your chicken thighs, the actual cook time should take anywhere between 20 and 20 minutes.
○ Invest in a meat thermometer and probe the thickest part of the largest chicken thigh after about 22 minutes. Leave it cooking until it reaches 165 degrees F.
○ The meat must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F before it can be safely consumed. Luckily, chicken thighs have a lot of extra fat, so drying them out is much harder to do than it is with chicken breasts.
○ Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving, so it can reabsorb its juices.
How to keep chicken skin from sticking to the grill…
○ Rub a light coating of oil on the hot grill grates. Olive oil
is great, but avocado oil
is even better as it has a higher smoke point.
○ For added non-stick protection, lightly spray some oil directly onto the chicken after seasoning.
○ Aim to keep the temperature of your grill between 400-425 degrees F, and always keep the lid closed to ensure even cooking. If the temperature is too high, the chicken skin will likely stick!
○ If your temp is right but your chicken thighs are still sticking to the grates when you try to flip or remove them, they’re just not ready to flip yet. Close the lid and give them another minute or two to finish.
○ Clean your grill after each use to avoid sticking on your next grilling adventure.
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Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- ½ cup sriracha hot sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Pineapple Salsa
- 1 cup pineapple grilled, finely chopped
- 1 cup tomato diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced
- ½ cucumber diced
- ½ avocado chopped
- ¼ cup onion diced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium high heat, about 400 degrees F. When the grill is hot, carefully spray the grates with cooking spray or rub with an olive oil soaked towel.
- Bring chicken to room temperature. Pat chicken thighs dry, then season with salt and pepper to taste on both sides.
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter is melted, Stir in garlic and ginger. Simmer about 1 minute, until fragrant. Whisk in Sriracha, honey, lime juice, and paprika. Stir to combine and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Place chicken thighs on grill, skin side down. Grill for about 5 minutes, then flip. Allow to grill on the other side for 4-5 minutes.
- Flip again, basting the chicken skin with some of the sauce. Repeat this process, flipping and basting every 3-4 minutes to prevent burning, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F (a total of 24-28 minutes).
- Remove the chicken from the grill and, using a completely clean brush, baste the chicken with more sriracha sauce. Remove from grill and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Pineapple Salsa
- While chicken is resting, prepare the salsa. Combine all of the diced and chopped ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently with the lime juice and zest until combined. Season with a pinch or more of kosher salt to taste. Serve on the side or on top of the grilled chicken.
