Perfectly Grilled Chicken Thighs w/Corn & Basil Lime Butter: A New Summer Favorite
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When it comes to summer, is there anything more iconic than grilled chicken thighs?
They’re cheap
They can take on a myriad of different flavors
They’re practically impossible to overcook
To achieve that juicy, smokey, crispy nirvana, I truly believe that bone-in and skin-on is the way to go. While I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and they have their applications, this particular recipe calls for bone-in and skin-on.
I live in a condo, so I can't have a grill on my patio. Also, it's been incredibly hot for over a month, so I'm not going to the pool to use the grill. Instead, I used my Swiss Diamond XD Grill Pan, one of my FAVORITE pieces of kitchen kit. If you don’t have one of these beasts, you can change that. Get yours today!
Alternative options are to use a cast iron skillet, or a regular grill (charcoal, gas, pellet, etc.). Just make sure that you can achieve a nice, high temperature to make the skin nice and crispy.
The spice mixture for the chicken is super simple:
salt & pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
chili powder
smoked paprika
You can mix all these spices together, but, I prefer to add them in layers, in the order above. Once you’ve seasoned your chicken, let it sit uncovered for about 15-45 minutes while you heat up your grill.
Lay your chicken, skin side down, on your grill (pan) over hight heat to get that skin super crispy. If you have a weight you can put on top to press it down, go ahead. After 5-8 minutes, go ahead and flip your thighs and lower the heat or move to the indirect zone on your grill. Continue to cook until the chicken thighs reach 165°F at the bone.
The butter comes together quickly and easily. Simply melt your butter over medium-low heat, add fresh torn basil, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Then, just add your corn, mix well, and heat through. That's it!
This is a full meal on its own. To plate, just stack two (2) of your perfectly grilled chicken thighs on top of your basil-lime butter corn on the plate. Add extra butter and more fresh torn basil over the top of your chicken to finish. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Voila! Bon appétit!
Grilled Chicken Thighs with Basil Lime Butter
Ingredients
- 2 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 2 Limes
- 8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Fresh Basil Leaf
- 4 Ears or 2 Cans Sweet Corn
- Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Coat chicken thighs with Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder, and Smoked Paprika and let sit for 15-45 minutes
- Heat Grill Pan to High Heat or set up your grill with both a direct and an indirect zone.
- Grill Chicken Thighs, Skin Side Down, for 5-7 minutes. Don't touch them during this step. If you have a weight to weigh them down, do it. This will ensure you are rendering the fat out of the skin and they will get nice and crispy. If you're grilling, have a squirt bottle nearby to tend to any flare-ups. If using a grill pan, use tongs and paper towels to drain excess fat as it renders.
- Once your skin is crispy, flip your thighs and reduce the heat or move to indirect side of your grill.
- Cook another 7-10 minutes or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 165F internal near the bone.
- Pull chicken off grill and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- While your chicken rests melt your butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Roughly tear half of your fresh basil and add to butter.
- Add salt, pepper, and the juice and zest of one lime.
- Add your corn and heat through.
- Plate by laying down a layer of your basil lime butter corn in the center of the plate.
- Stack 2 perfectly grilled chicken thighs on top of your corn.
- Ladel some extra butter over top of your chicken.
- Garnish with more torn fresh basil and lime wedges.
- ENJOY!!!!
