Everybody loves chicken thighs and with this simple marinade using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, you can marinate chicken and then airfry, bake or grill it! An easy weeknight recipe for chicken thighs that also makes for the best leftovers. This recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and pairs so well with the dark meat of chicken thighs. 
This marinade works great with all cuts of chicken, not just chicken thighs!
I like this marinade best with chicken thighs because they are a fattier type of chicken meat, giving them a rich flavor that pairs so well with this sweet and salty marinade.
I like to make my marinade right in a plastic bag, and then add the chicken. Letting it marinate for at least 2 hours, but as much as 24 hours allows the chicken to really soak up the flavor of this marinade.
Chicken Thigh Marinde Ingredients:
- Soy Sauce- I use low sodium, Kikkoman brand.
- Garlic- Fresh (paste or chopped) works great but granulated will work in a pinch.
- Olive Oil- This helps the marinade ‘stick’ to the chicken.
- Rosemary- I used dried, but fresh works great as well. If you do not have rosemary you could use thyme.
- Dijon Mustard- Regular works great but stone ground would work too.
- Worchestire auce- Just a little bit to add savory notes.
- Honey- Agave would work as well.
- Brown Sugar- I like my chicken thighs sweet. If you want a more savory flavor, just use honey and skip the brown sugar.
These chicken thighs can be baked, air fried, or grilled. Here’s how to cook them all 3 ways!
Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Spray basket with nonstick, and place chicken thighs in air fryer basket. Cook for roughly 15 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit at its thickest point.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with nonstick. Place chicken onto foil lined pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. Chicken is done once it reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit at its thickest point. *For a charred exterior, remove chicken once it is almost fully cooked, and turn broiler on. Place chicken back into oven for 2 minutes (keeping an eye on it as it can burn quickly).
Grill: Preheat grill to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Place chicken on grill, and flip over at the 10 minute mark. Continue to cook for additional 10-12 minutes. Chicken is fully cooked once it reaches 165 degrees internally.
If you are a fan of chicken recipes, here’s a few more of our favorites:
- BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Sheet Pan Maple Dijon Chicken
- Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Easy Greek Chicken Marinade
Happy marinating! – Kathi and Rachel
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Pin Recipean easy marinade with a tangy, sweet and salty flavor. Perfect for chicken thighs but works great for any cut of chicken!
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (est. 2 per person)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp garlic (fresh or granulated)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp worcestershire
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
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Add marinade ingredients to large (gallon size) plastic food bag. Smush around to combine ingredients. Add chicken and allow to marinate at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours.
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Cook chicken using 1 of 3 methods:
Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Spray basket with nonstick, and place chicken thighs in air fryer basket. Cook for roughly 15 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit at its thickest point.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray with nonstick. Place chicken onto foil lined pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. Chicken is done once it reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit at its thickest point. *For a charred exterior, remove chicken once it is almost fully cooked, and turn broiler on. Place chicken back into oven for 2 minutes (keeping an eye on it as it can burn quickly).
Grill: Preheat grill to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Place chicken on grill, and flip over at the 10 minute mark. Continue to cook for additional 10-12 minutes. Chicken is fully cooked once it reaches 165 degrees internally.
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Garnish with scallions if desired, serve and enjoy!
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