Grilled chicken is a mainstay at BBQs, but rising meat prices mean finding the cut that suits your taste buds and your wallet can be tricky. Chicken thighs are a great solution: this inexpensive cut of dark meat doesn’t even require getting your hands dirty. Need the perfect chicken thigh recipe for your next gathering? Give actress and chef Valerie Bertinelli’s grilled chicken thighs with ginger scallion sauce a go. Here’s how to make it and wow your crowd with little effort.
What makes Bertinelli’s chicken thighs recipe special
Bertinelli turns grilled chicken thighs into a tasty masterpiece by marinating the meat in soy sauce, rice vinegar and other ingredients. This infuses the chicken with a savory-sweet flavor, while ensuring the meat stays moist on the grill. She also takes the chicken thighs up a notch by topping them with a ginger scallion sauce—which is so good she says “you’ll find yourself wanting to eat it with everything.” Sounds like your next dinner obsession!
Bertinelli’s simple and succulent chicken thighs recipe
Below is Bertinelli’s recipe and a video explaining how to recreate this dish at home.
Grilled Chicken Thighs with Ginger Scallion Sauce
Ingredients:
Ginger Scallion Sauce:
- 1 cup chopped scallions (from 1 to 2 bunches)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Chicken Thighs:
- 5 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sambal oelek or sriracha
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Combine ingredients for ginger scallion sauce in small bowl. Take 2 tbsp ginger scallion sauce and place in second, larger bowl. Set small bowl aside for serving with chicken.
- To large bowl with 2 tbsp ginger scallion sauce, add oil, soy sauce, vinegar,and sambal oelek or sriracha. Whisk to combine, then place chicken thighs in bowl.
- Stir to coat chicken in sauce. Let chicken marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill pan or grill over medium-high heat.
- Transfer chicken onto a paper towel-lined baking sheet, smooth-side up, and sprinkle smooth side with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
- Transfer chicken to heated grill pan, seasoning-side down. Sprinkle underside with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. (If using a grill, season both sides before placing on grates.)
- Grill 10 minutes on one side, rotating chicken’s direction halfway through to create a cross-hatch grill pattern. Flip chicken and cook until it reaches 165°F and has nice grill marks (additional 7 to 10 minutes).
- Transfer chicken to plate and serve with reserved ginger scallion sauce.
