Barbecue Boneless Chicken Thighs with Dairy-Free Potato Salad

We’re celebrating the Fourth of July a few weeks early at our house with this classic summer recipe. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard to make them incredibly juicy and tender. They are grilled to perfection and brushed with your favorite sauce. They pair perfectly with my creamy, Dairy-Free Potato Salad and grilled corn on the cob.

I discovered boneless, skinless chicken thighs about two years ago. I was hesitant about trying them because I typically don’t like dark meat chicken. I find it fatty and greasy. I was also unsure of how long I should cook them. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they do not taste like dark meat. When you cut into the cooked thighs, the meat looks like white meat chicken. The only difference, they are so much more juicy and tender than their chicken breast counterpart. I also discovered they cook a little faster than boneless, skinless chicken breasts. 

This recipe will make about 5-6 servings with leftover potato salad that you can have with lunch the next day! Score!

Let’s get cooking!

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Ingredients

Barbecue chicken thighs:

• 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used Just Bare)

For marinade:

• 1/2 cup of olive oil

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced 

• 1/3 cup of lemon juice 

• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

• 1-gallon size storage bag

• Your favorite barbecue sauce for brushing, plus more for serving if desired (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s, Original, which is gluten-free)

Dairy-free potato salad

• 3 pounds of small white potatoes, cut in half (or quarter if larger), skin left on

• 1/3 cup of vinaigrette dressing (I use Garlic Expressions Salad Dressing and Marinade)

• 1 cup of mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo)

• 1 container of (5.3 ounces) plain yogurt (I use Kite Hill, Plain Unsweetened Greek-Style, Almond Milk Yogurt)

• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

• 1-2 tablespoons of yellow mustard (add to your taste)

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup of fresh dill, chopped (add to your taste) 

• 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 

• 1 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper

• 2 sliced green onions (green tops and some white) for serving

• 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika to sprinkle on top before serving

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How to make:

Barbecue chicken thighs:

1. Add the boneless chicken thighs to a one-gallon storage bag. Add all of the marinade ingredients. Seal the bag and toss a couple of times to mix all the ingredients and completely coat the chicken with the marinade mixture. Place the bag flat on a plate and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours. 

2. Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat. Spray grates with non-stick cooking spray. Add the chicken and discard the bag of the marinade mixture. 

3. Grill the chicken about 7 minutes per side. Note: All grill cooking times are different. Be sure to watch yours closely, adjusting cooking time as needed. Just be sure your chicken is cooked completely through. 

4. Brush both sides of the chicken with your barbecue sauce and let cook about one additional minute. 

5. Place on a serving platter and cover with foil. Allow chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. 

6. Enjoy!

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Dairy-free potato salad:

1. In a large pot, add the prepared potatoes with enough water to just cover them. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.

2. Bring the water to a boil and cook, uncovered, on at a medium boil for about 15 to 20 minutes. Test that they are fork tender. Watch them closely, as you do not water to overcook them. This yields a mushy potato salad. Drain in a colander and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. 

3. Place the warm potatoes in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat the potatoes. Set aside while you mix the dressing.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, plain yogurt, mustard, vinegar, sugar. Pour over the warm potatoes. 

5. Add the eggs, dill pickle, and fresh dill to the cooked potatoes and vinaigrette. Fold in the dressing mixture. 

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Garnish with sliced green onion and a few sprinkles of smoked paprika. 

8. Enjoy!

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Serving suggestion

I served this meal with grilled corn on the cob. I used 8 ears of corn that I brushed lightly with olive oil. I grilled them about 5-6 minutes per side until they were slightly charred. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and serve with butter (I used Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread).