Soy-Garlic BBQ Chicken Thighs with Tomato Bell Pepper Spaghetti
Short Description
These Soy-Garlic BBQ Chicken Thighs with Tomato Bell Pepper Spaghetti are juicy, smoky and full of flavour. Tender grilled chicken is served over saucy spaghetti with tomatoes, green pepper, onion and garlic.
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Why It’s Good
The soy-garlic marinade gives the chicken sweet, savoury flavour and great caramelized edges. The tomato spaghetti keeps the dish comforting and easy. Simple, but really good.
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When to Serve It
Perfect for an easy family dinner, summer BBQ or casual weekend meal. Add a salad or garlic bread and you’re set.
Marinate the Chicken
For the best soy-garlic BBQ chicken thighs, let the boneless chicken thighs soak in the sweet and savoury soy marinade for 1–4 hours. This gives the chicken plenty of flavour and helps create those sticky, caramelized edges on the grill. Turn the thighs a couple of times so every piece gets well coated.
Grill the Chicken
Grill the soy-garlic marinated chicken thighs over medium-high heat until they’re juicy, lightly charred and beautifully caramelized on the outside. Let the excess marinade drip off before grilling, then cook for about 5–7 minutes per side, or until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Those darker grilled edges add loads of flavour.
Tips and Tricks
- Marinate for at least 1 hour. The soy-garlic marinade needs a little time to flavour the boneless chicken thighs. About 2–4 hours gives even better results.
- Let the extra marinade drip off before grilling. Too much liquid can cause flare-ups, especially with the brown sugar and honey in the marinade.
- Watch the heat. These BBQ chicken thighs caramelize quickly. Medium-high heat gives you those dark, slightly charred edges without burning the outside.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Boneless thighs stay juicy, but I still pull them off the grill once they reach 165°F (74°C).
- Keep the green pepper slightly firm. It adds a nice bit of texture to the tomato spaghetti sauce instead of disappearing into it.
- Save some pasta water. A splash helps loosen the tomato sauce and makes it cling nicely to the spaghetti.
- Finish with green onions. They add fresh flavour and make the soy-garlic BBQ chicken spaghetti look bright and colourful right before serving.
Variations
Make it spicy. Add red pepper flakes, chili garlic sauce or a little sriracha to the soy-garlic chicken marinade for extra heat.
Use chicken breasts instead. Boneless chicken breasts work too, but watch them closely since they can dry out faster than chicken thighs.
Swap the green bell pepper. Red, yellow or orange bell peppers give the tomato spaghetti sauce a slightly sweeter flavour.
Add mushrooms. Sauté sliced mushrooms with the onion and bell pepper for a heartier BBQ chicken pasta.
Make it extra garlicky. Add another clove or two of garlic to either the marinade or tomato sauce. It works really well here.
Change the pasta. Spaghetti looks great with the grilled chicken, but linguine, fettuccine or penne also work.
Add a little smoky flavour. A pinch more smoked paprika in the marinade or tomato sauce gives the BBQ chicken spaghetti a deeper grilled flavour.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Store the soy-garlic BBQ chicken thighs and tomato spaghetti in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Store separately when possible. Keeping the grilled chicken and spaghetti in separate containers helps the chicken stay juicy and prevents the pasta from soaking up too much sauce.
Reheat gently. Warm the chicken and pasta over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a small splash of water to the spaghetti if the tomato bell pepper sauce has thickened in the fridge.
Slice chicken after reheating. Keeping the thighs whole while stored helps them hold onto more moisture.
Freeze the chicken separately. The cooked BBQ chicken thighs can be frozen for up to 2–3 months. The tomato sauce also freezes well, but freshly cooked spaghetti will have the best texture.
Add fresh green onions after reheating. They’re much better added at the end rather than stored with the leftovers.
Soy-Garlic BBQ Chicken Thighs with Tomato Bell Pepper Spaghetti
Equipment
- Outdoor BBQ or grill
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Large pot for spaghetti
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Meat thermometer
- ColanderÂ
Ingredients
- Soy BBQ Chicken Thighs
Soy BBQ Chicken Thighs - Marinade
- 6 chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar add more needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 teaspoon grated ginger fresh
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Tomato Bell Pepper Spaghetti
- 10 oz spaghetti 285 g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can 398 mL crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup reserved pasta water as needed
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
Marinate the chicken.
- Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, honey, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, smoked paprika and black pepper. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 1–4 hours.
Make the tomato pepper sauce.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and green bell pepper and cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes.
Cook the spaghetti.
- Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
BBQ the chicken.
- Preheat the barbecue to about 400°F (205°C).
- Remove chicken from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Grill for approximately 5–7 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Let rest for 5 minutes.
Toss the pasta.
- Add spaghetti to the tomato and green pepper sauce and toss until well coated. Add a splash of pasta water if needed.
Serve.
- Twirl the spaghetti onto a large serving platter. Arrange the BBQ chicken thighs over and between the pasta, just like your photo. Spoon some of the tomato and green pepper sauce around the chicken and finish generously with sliced green onions.
For that glossy slightly charred chicken - optional
- Mix 2 teaspoons honey with 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Lightly brush it over the cooked chicken and grill for another 20–30 seconds per side. This gives the thighs that dark, shiny, slightly charred finish without adding a lot more sweetness.
Notes
- Marinate for better flavour. Let the boneless chicken thighs sit in the soy-garlic BBQ marinade for at least 1 hour. Around 2–4 hours gives them even more flavour.
- Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy. They’re ideal for grilling because they stay tender and develop those delicious caramelized edges.
- Watch the BBQ closely. The brown sugar and honey in the marinade can darken quickly, so cook over medium-high heat rather than over direct high flames.
- Cook chicken to 165°F (74°C). A meat thermometer is the easiest way to make sure the grilled chicken thighs are safely cooked without drying them out.
- Don’t skip the pasta water. A splash helps the tomato bell pepper spaghetti sauce coat the pasta nicely.
- Keep some texture in the peppers. Cook the green bell pepper until tender but not completely soft. It adds colour and a nice bite to the spaghetti.
- Add green onions just before serving. They brighten up the rich soy-garlic BBQ chicken and tomato spaghetti and add a fresh finish.
Nutrition
Ellen Britt
Hi, I’m Ellen — a passionate home cook dedicated to creating easy, flavorful recipes inspired by real-life cooking and shared family traditions. Every recipe on this site is a true collaboration, developed and tested together in our kitchen to ensure it’s reliable, simple to follow, and absolutely delicious.
Serve these soy-garlic BBQ chicken thighs with tomato spaghetti with our Easy No-Knead Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia for an easy bread to scoop up the extra tomato sauce.
