Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)

An easy way to make Thailands famous barbecue chicken at home. This Thai Grilled Chicken Gai Yang uses a fragrant marinade that delivers street stall deliciousness without pounding pastes or lighting coals.

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Prep Time 8

Cook Time 12

Total Time 20

Servings: 5 portions

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Calories: 280

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken thigh fillets skinless, boneless
1 large stalk lemongrass white part only, reedy outer layers removed, sliced
4 cloves garlic peeled, whole
2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce or all-purpose soy/tamari
2 tsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar tightly packed
2 tbsp oil vegetable, canola, or neutral oil
Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

Equipment

Stick blender or box grater
Tall jug
mixing bowl
Outdoor BBQ grill or non-stick pan

Method

Place the lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and brown sugar in a tall jug. Blitz with a stick blender until the lemongrass and garlic are fully pureed. If you do not have a stick blender, finely grate the lemongrass and garlic and mix by hand.
Pour the pureed mixture into a bowl, add the oil, and stir. Add the chicken thighs and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover and marinate overnight, or for a minimum of 3 hours.
Heat your outdoor BBQ grill on high, or a non-stick pan over high heat on the stove.
Remove the chicken from the marinade. For stovetop or BBQ cooking, discard the remaining marinade. Place the chicken on the hot grill or pan, then immediately turn the heat down to medium.
Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Flip repeatedly if the edges are charring too fast due to the sugar in the marinade.
Remove the chicken from the heat and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes so the juices can be reabsorbed. Serve hot with lime wedges, cilantro, and your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

For chicken breasts: split in half horizontally or pound to even thickness, and add a bit of oil to the pan. For the oven: broil on a rack for 15 minutes on high, turning as needed. You can reserve the marinade if using the oven method to baste the chicken. Do not substitute light soy sauce with dark soy sauce, as it is too intense.