Grilled Vinegar Chicken Thighs

This is one of the easiest and tastiest chicken recipes ever. Don’t be alarmed by the recipe, or the fact that there is just 3 simple ingredients. This chicken recipe impresses all!

One of our foodie friends Dorian shared with us “THE BEST CHICKEN YOU’LL EVER HAVE”. With a statement like this, I knew we had to try it, and try it quick! This recipe steers you away from the normal chicken breast and gets you using the SKIN ON CHICKEN THIGH. We haven’t noticed a huge difference in the flavor or cook time if you have bone in or not, so if you find either option grab that, but make sure it for sure is SKIN ON. You will thank us later.

The recipe is simple. The directions are precise. The end result is amazing. But you have to promise you will follow it exactly for perfect results. Dorian says “Don’t try to get cute with it, keep it simple, and you will taste chicken the way it is supposed to taste!” So that’s what we did, I fought the urge to add some pepper, or some Chef Todd’s Pit Seasoning- I wanted to make sure to try it the way it was designed-before adding my own flair. And I am glad we did.

To start out you really just need three simple ingredients. Skin on chicken thighs. White distilled vinegar. Regular table salt. That’s it.

We don’t have an exact recipe for you, as you customize it to how many people you are feeding. We have found most adults will eat 2-3 thighs and kids usually about 1. Once you have determined how many pieces to buy, you will need enough vinegar to completely cover the chicken thighs in a pot, pan, or gallon ziplock bag. Dorian has been able to use the vinegar/salt solution 2-3 times in one day so if you are planning on feeding a large crowd you don’t need to have a brine solution for each batch but after 3 batches you will probably want to start fresh again- as the chicken will absorb a lot of the salt. We fed 30 people and used 1 gallon of white distilled vinegar and 26 oz of salt. But make sure you are using enough vinegar to completely cover the chicken.

Once you figure out how much vinegar you are using you now add in the salt, this also varies but the best way to know you have enough is keep adding the salt into the vinegar until the vinegar can no longer dissolve the salt. We used a lot more than I would have guessed but just keep adding until after you stir it for a bit, you can still feel the salt on the bottom. Once you have reached that point, its time to add your chicken.

Together your salt and vinegar will create a sort of brine that finds it’s salty way into the whole chicken thigh, without adding too much salt or tang from the vinegar. The secret really is the time. Set your timer for 7 min 30 sec. If you leave your chicken in the brine solution for too long-all you will taste is the salt- and we still like to taste the chicken after all, so don’t walk away. Don’t set your timer for 9, or 6. Set it for 7:30 and start taking them out. Promise us right now, you will watch the time!

Once the timer goes off, place the chicken on a cooling rack inside a cookie sheet, or somewhere to slightly drain, then place them on the grill. If you are cooking them in the oven, let them drain a little bit so the salt brine solution drips a little and dab with a paper towel. The are cooked on the grill medium-heat for about an hour, Traeger Grill 325 degrees for one hour. Watch them closely on a gas grill, and turn frequently. The Traeger doesn’t require as much watching so you can leave that one alone for a bit. But just cook until internal temperature reaches 165. If cooking on the grill, the outside skin will get nice and crispy-this is a favorite part of ours- so watch for that. If you are on the Traeger, we have noticed the best way to get the crispy outside is to then bring it inside and put it in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.

That’s it! It’s kind of crazy, very precise, but one of the best chicken recipes we really have ever tried. We highly recommend it for large groups- the guys in your life will thank you for trying something other than a chicken breast, and your wallet will thank you too-chicken thighs are very inexpensive but sooo delicious. Enjoy!