Description
Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring tender chicken thigh fillets marinated in a fragrant blend of lemongrass, garlic, soy sauces, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Grilled to perfection, this crispy, juicy chicken is best served with coconut rice and traditional Thai dipping sauces for an authentic taste of Thailand.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless
- 1 large lemongrass stalk, white part only, outer layers removed, sliced 5mm thick (or substitute with 2 tbsp lemongrass paste)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or any all-purpose soy or tamari)
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp tightly packed brown sugar or palm sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (canola or any neutral flavored oil)
To Serve
- Nam Jim Jaew (traditional Thai dipping sauce for meat, recommended)
- Lime sweet chili sauce
- Bottle of sweet chili sauce
- Lime wedges
- Red chili, finely sliced (optional)
- Cilantro / coriander leaves (optional)
- Coconut rice
Instructions
- Blitz the Marinade: Place all marinade ingredients except the oil in a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until the lemongrass and garlic are fully pureed. If you donโt have a stick blender, finely grate the lemongrass and garlic then mix well.
- Marinate the Chicken: Pour the marinade into a bowl, then add the oil and stir to combine. Add the chicken thigh fillets and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and marinate overnight, or at least 3 hours for best flavor. If short on time, finely slice the chicken, toss it in the marinade and cook immediately like a stir-fry.
- Preheat the Grill or Pan: Heat the outdoor barbecue grill on high heat or place a non-stick pan over high heat on the stove.
- Cook the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade unless baking in the oven). Place the chicken on the grill or pan, then reduce heat to medium to prevent burning due to the sweet marinade. Cook until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. If the chicken starts to burn, flip immediately and you can flip repeatedly as needed to cook evenly.
- Rest and Serve: Let the grilled chicken rest for 3 minutes once cooked. Serve the chicken with a mound of steaming coconut rice, lime wedges, fresh sliced chilies, coriander/cilantro leaves, and your choice of traditional Nam Jim Jaew or sweet chili dipping sauces.
Notes
- Note 1: Using boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets ensures juicy, tender meat that absorbs marinade well.
- Note 2: The white part of lemongrass is preferred for flavor; if unavailable, lemongrass paste is a convenient substitute.
- Note 3: Light and dark soy sauces balance saltiness and color in the marinade; tamari can be used for gluten-free option.
- If not marinating overnight, slice chicken thinly and cook immediately like a stir-fry.
- Discard marinade used for raw chicken unless cooking it thoroughly in the oven to avoid contamination.
- Sweet marinade can burn quickly on high heat; reduce to medium after placing chicken on grill or pan.
