Have you ever heard of sazon seasoning? It’s one of my go-to favorite spice blends that my Mom puts on *literally* everything. Potatoes, eggs, beans, chicken, meat, fish… the list goes on. It’s so flavorful and I can never, ever get enough! In fact, I’m craving her sazon-seasoned Puerto Rican potatoes right now.
A few years back I decided to marinate chicken in my homemade sazon seasoning and OMG these sazon grilled chicken thighs turned out even more perfect than I could’ve imagined. So flavorful, juicy, and delicious paired with tons of different sides.
What is sazon?
Sazon is a really popular Puerto Rican spice that can be found it many Mexican and Spanish markets. Traditional sazon is a blend of coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano, salt & pepper. The downside of most sazon is that it contains MSG, so I love to make my own with what I typically have on hand (subbing turmeric for annatto seeds/achiote). It tastes very close to the real thing, but with a couple of twists!
Ingredients in sazon grilled chicken thighs
These easy grilled chicken thighs are made with my incredible homemade sazon to give it wonderful, warm flavors. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Chicken thighs: I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for ease.
- Olive oil: to coat the chicken thighs and make sure the spices do as well.
- Sazon spice blend: we’re using cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne (if you like a kick of heat), salt & pepper.
Bake or grill your chicken thighs
That’s right, you have the option to bake or grill your chicken to get perfectly juicy sazon chicken thighs!
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grates. Cook your chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping once. When the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F your chicken is done.
- To bake: preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and bake your chicken thighs for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165.
Get my full guide for grilling the best chicken here, and even more chicken marinades here!
Can you freeze chicken thighs?
Yes! If you’d like to save your chicken for later, simply pour the olive oil & sazon spice blend into a resealable, freezer-friendly bag, add your chicken, and freeze the entire bag for up to 3 months.
To thaw your chicken: when you’re ready to cook it, simply thaw the chicken in the sazon overnight in the refrigerator and cook and bake as directed below.
Ways to use sazon grilled chicken thighs
Once you’ve mastered these sazon grilled chicken thighs you’ll seriously want to add this chicken to everything. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
The options are truly endless so feel free to get creative!
I hope you love these delicious, easy sazon grilled chicken thighs. If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them (and what you made with them!) You can also post a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. Enjoy, xo!
The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Sazon Grilled Chicken Thighs
Flavorful sazon grilled chicken thighs marinated in a homemade sazon seasoning blend and grilled to juicy perfection. This easy grilled chicken thigh recipe is perfect for adding to tacos, salads, bowls and more!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne (only if you like a little heat)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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First, marinate your chicken: in a large bowl add chicken, olive oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper. Toss together to coat the chicken and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes-1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
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Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F. Place the chicken directly on the grill. Grill chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side or until fully cooked and the meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
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Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm, then chop into bite sized pieces. Use in salads, tacos, bowls and more.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25of recipeCalories: 276calCarbohydrates: 1.4gProtein: 33.8gFat: 14.3gSaturated Fat: 2.8gFiber: 0.5g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This recipe was originally published August 21st, 2020, and republished June 17th, 2024.
