Name: Mayo Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs: Whole30, Paleo, Keto, GF
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3-4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (can substitute for chicken breasts); 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp if using bottled lime juice); 1/2 cup Primal Kitchen Mayo; 2 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp onion powder; 1 tbsp avocado oil; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

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This easy mayo marinated grilled chicken thighs recipe is such a tasty way to grill an easy weeknight dinner or use for a meal prep recipe! This is the best mayo chicken marinade, and leaves the chicken so juicy and full of flavor. This is also a paleo, low carb, Whole30 chicken recipe so everyone in the family can enjoy it! With only a few simple ingredients and under 20 minutes, this will mayo chicken be your new go-to way to grill thighs.

This post is in partnership with Primal Kitchen. They’re giving you 10% off any of their products using the code “PALEOBAILEY” at checkout! I’m happy to work with a company I love, use and believe in so much. Thanks for your support here on the blog and your support for Primal Kitchen!

Ingredients for Making Mayo Marinated Chicken

This Whole30 grilled chicken recipe calls for boneless, skinless thighs. You can purchase bone-in thighs and debone them yourself by cutting out the bone with chicken sheers. This is a good budget-friendly option as bone-in thighs tend to be cheaper without having the added processing that’s needed for boneless skinless chicken thighs.

You’ll also need a few spices including onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Finally, you’ll need minced garlic, avocado oil, a lime and mayo. I use Primal Kitchen’s Whole30 Approved avocado oil mayo. Their mayo is the best healthy mayo and we always keep it in stock in our pantry. Never made with any sneaky or junky additives, and it’s also paleo, keto and sugar-free.

Why Use Mayo in a Marinade

Grilling with a mayo marinade (yes, mayo!) is one of the best and easiest ways to get insanely flavorful chicken. The grilled chicken doesn’t taste anything like mayo once it’s cooked, and it can be used with almost any type of protein. Mayo is packed with healthy fats from the oil and egg, and healthy fats are what give our foods so much flavor.

So not only does using mayo up the flavor, but it also helps lock in the juices of the meat by forming a protective layer around each chicken thigh. Because avocado oil is best for high heat cooking, Primal Kitchen’s mayo is perfect for this use. Mayo marinades can be used with fish, pork (like ribs), whole chickens, wings, and more.

You can get avocado oil mayo as a part of the Whole Kitchen Sink bundle (all of my most favorite Primal Kitchen sauces!), or on it’s own on their website! Use the code PALEOBAILEY for a discount!

How to Prepare Your Whole30 Mayo Marinade

These chicken thighs are incredibly simple to prep. You’ll simply add all of the ingredients for the marinade into a large mixing bowl and stir it well to combine everything. Then add in all of your chicken thighs and use tongs to toss them with the mayo marinade. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to several hours, prior to grilling.

Grilling & Serving Your Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are great on the grill because they cook quickly, and are hard to overcook because the dark meat keeps them juicy and tender. You’ll want to heat your grill on medium-high heat, and then once your grill is over 450 degrees F., place the chicken thighs onto the grates. Close the lid and let them grill for about 8 minutes.

Then you’ll flip them and grill for an additional 8 minutes. When you’re flipping them, if they don’t easily come up off of the grill grates without sticking, then just let that one cook another minute or two before making the flip. Some thicker thighs will take longer, and some grills have spots that get hotter than others.

Once they’re finished, remove them from the grill and let rest for a few minutes to lock in the juices. These thighs are awesome served with veggie sides like BLT coleslaw, pineapple coleslaw, buffalo ranch potato salad, roasted mustard potatoes, or just your favorite grilled vegetables!

Other Whole30 Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

Classic Chicken Salad

Creamy Dijon Chicken Casserole

Sweet Potato Chicken Nuggets

Grain-Free Chicken Tenders

Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken