These boneless, skinless chicken thighs with garlic, chili, and basil are tender, juicy, and full of flavor. They’re easy to make and affordable. They’re perfect to cook in a pan inside or flame-grilled on the BBQ grill outside.
This delicious recipe is part of my chicken thigh recipe collection, which also includes my creamy garlic one-pan chicken thighs and spicy grilled chicken thigh fillets.
What makes this recipe so good
- Cheap and affordable. Chicken thighs are a budget cut of meat that can be used to make an infinite amount of recipes limited only by your imagination.
- It’s quick and easy to make. Simply crush the herbs and spices in a mortar and pestle or blend in a benchtop blender, coat the chicken, and cook. There is no need to marinade overnight.
- Cook inside or outside. This recipe works well cooked in a pan on the stove or flame-grilled outside.
- Versatile. You can eat the chicken on its own on a grazing platter or use it as an ingredient in salads or wraps.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs. I like to use free-range organic chicken.
- Garlic cloves. Crushed.
- Kosher salt.
- Thyme. I use fresh thyme stripped off the stem but you can use dried thyme from the grocery store.
- Basil leaves. I have homegrown basil, but you can find it at the grocery store.
- Chili flakes. For those who like it hot, add as much as you can handle; I used it sparingly.
- Olive oil. Extra virgin.
Serve with lemon wedges and kosher salt or your favorite dipping sauce.
How to make garlic, chili, and basil chicken thighs
I have included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. The full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities are on the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Grind herbs and spices. Put the garlic, thyme, basil, salt, and chili flakes in a mortar and pestle and grind together, followed by the olive oil. Note: You can also use an electric blender or stick blender, but I just love the mortar and pestle.
- Coat the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl and add the marinade mix well with your hands until all of the thighs are thoroughly coated.
- Cook. Place the chicken thighs over a hot grill and cook through turning several times. Boneless chicken thighs take around 10-14 minutes depending on your grill. Thighs are cooked when the temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C or cut the thickest thigh to check it is cooked through. You can also cook them in a hot pan on the stove.
- Serve. Slice the chicken thighs and serve on a grazing board with lemon and kosher salt.
Flavor variations
You can adjust the flavors of these chicken thighs by adding or subtracting ingredients.
- Spice it up. To heat up your chicken thighs, add a teaspoon or ten (depending on how hot you like it) of cayenne pepper.
- Experiment with herbs. Mint, rosemary, coriander, and oregano all work well.
- For a smokey flavor try adding two teaspoons of smoked paprika.
How to store cooked chicken thighs
Refrigerator: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: These chicken thighs are great for meal prep, and you can freeze them for up to 3 months in airtight containers or ziploc bags.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken thighs are cooked when the temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C.
There are 8 chicken thighs in 1kg or 2.2 lbs, but depending on the size, this can vary from 6 to 10 thighs.
More recipes using boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets
Chicken thigh fillets are so versatile and easy to cook. It is very hard to ruin a chicken thigh recipe. Unlike chicken breast, it has a completely different texture and fat to keep it juicy and tender.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – Garlic, Chili & Basil
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Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs Equates to 1kg
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp thyme 10 sprigs stripped
- 2 oz fresh basil leaves About 1 cup
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Put the garlic, thyme, basil, salt, and chili flakes in a mortar and pestle and grind together, followed by the olive oil. Note: You can also use an electric or stick blender, but I love the mortar and pestle.7 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp thyme, 2 oz fresh basil leaves, 1 tsp chili flakes, 1/2 cup olive oil
- Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl. Add the marinade and mix well with your hands (gloves are handy here) until all of the thighs are thoroughly coated.2.2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Place the chicken thighs over a hot grill and cook through turning several times. Boneless chicken thighs take around 10-14 minutes depending on your grill. Thighs are cooked when the temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C or cut the thickest thigh to check it is cooked through. You can also cook them in a hot pan on the stove.
- Slice the chicken thighs and serve on a grazing board. I like to serve it with lemon wedges and kosher salt. but you can add dipping sauce or whatever else tickles your fancy.
Dinner tonight!!!
I hope you enjoy it Sharyne.