Broiled Asian Chicken Thighs

You will go absolutely crazy for these simple Asian Chicken Thighs that are cooked under the broiler and ready in less than 10 minutes!

Say hello to your favorite new way to cook chicken thighs – the broiler!

Broiling gives your food more direct, and high heat. Think of it like grilling, only the heat source is top-down, instead of bottom-up. It's the perfect way to get tons of grilled flavor when cooking indoors.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to learn to use the broiler. But, I can tell you, you all are in for a treat. This oven setting is the trick behind making these easy and deliciously juicy chicken thighs. They will come out moist and tender with just enough crispiness and crunch on the outside.

Perfect. And in under 15 minutes? That’s a kitchen win every time.

For today’s version, I marinated the chicken in Hoisin sauce, lime juice, a touch of brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and Sriracha. You can leave that out if you don’t like spice. 

Once that has a chance to marinate overnight, you simply pop these flavor bombs under the broiler for just 10-12 little minutes and dinner is served. Easy. Delicious. Quick.

Serve them with rice, over an Asian-inspired noodle bowl, or with stir-fried veggies for an easy dinner.

Side Dishes to Serve with Broiled Asian Chicken Thighs

You're going to want to make a meal of these! These chicken thighs scream for some sides.

• Salads always go well and are easy to throw together. Consider adding an Asian-inspired dressing and some chopped peanuts to the salad as well.
• If a lettuce-based salad isn't your thing, you could make this wonderful Asian Peanut Slaw, which is a good veggie option alone or on a bed of rice noodles.
• Crispy Asian Brussels Sprouts add a nice, crunchy texture to go with the chicken thighs and can be cooked just before you broil.
• Cook up a bag of frozen edamame and add salt once they are done, or spice them up a bit like I do in this Sesame Soy Edamame recipe.
• Try layering your chicken thighs on a bed of white or brown rice or cauliflower rice. Spoon over some of that yummy sauce while you're at it.
• Zoodles or other veggie noodles make a great base for this chicken dish.

Can I Cook Chicken Breasts in the Broiler?

If you prefer chicken breasts to thighs or chicken breasts are just what you have on hand, you're probably wondering if they will work in the broiler as well. The answer is, yes, they do. But, you're going to need a little more cooking time as the breasts are thicker and you'll have to remember to turn them so both sides get broiled. Rebrush with more sauce if you are worried that they'll dry out.

I wouldn't recommend broiling any thinner cuts of chicken, like tenders, simply because you'll end up with something resembling chicken jerky. Unless that's what you're going for. Now that I think about it, Asian chicken jerky sounds quite tasty…

How do you make Asian sauce sticky?

I like a good chicken thigh. The secret to these broiled chicken thighs though is making the sauce nice and sticky, so it stays on the chicken, rather than bakes off in a pool of sauce under the meat.

The brown sugar is key here. It will caramelize nicely with the rest of the ingredients (including the citrus from the lime juice) and that, plus the high heat will allow the sauce to stick nicely to your chicken. You could also use honey instead if you prefer.

How can I use leftover Asian Chicken Thighs?

This is one of my favorite leftovers to have! I have found myself making double the recipe often just so I have leftovers. When you have a simple chicken like this, it's so easy to redo in another recipe. Get creative!

• Shred the chicken and add to wraps or tacos with your favorite toppings like shredded red cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers, sliced jalapenos, Sriracha mayonnaise, chopped peanuts, peanut sauce, or a dash of garlic oil.
• Add shredded or diced leftover chicken to a bed of lettuce or a raw slaw mixture (there are many to choose from these days). Top with a lovely Asian dressing.
• Make Asian rice bowls. Fill a bowl or dish with brown rice, leftover chicken, and your favorite toppings and dressings. I like to add pickled condiments to my bowls as well, like cucumbers, red onion, or kimchi.
• Add chicken to a pasta dish or casserole.
• Toss the chicken in some mac-n-cheese with a little extra hot sauce or chili oil. O.M.G.