Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin)

Thai Turmeric Chicken thighs golden and sticky on a parchment-lined baking tray fresh from the oven

Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin)

A southern Thailand street food classic. Sweet, sticky, and savory baked chicken thighs marinated in a simple 6-ingredient turmeric marinade. Unbelievably flavorful for something so easy to make.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Marinating Time (minimum) 3

Total Time 1

Servings: 5 portions

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Calories: 505

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

5 large chicken thighs, skin-on bone-in approximately 2.4 lb or 1.2 kg
4 garlic cloves finely minced or crushed
2 tbsp fish sauce
2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp white pepper ground substitute black pepper
1 tbsp ground turmeric
0.25 cup brown sugar tightly packed

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Baking tray
parchment paper
oven
Basting spoon or brush

Method

Mix garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, turmeric, and white pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat every surface. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Overnight is strongly recommended.
Preheat oven to 350 F conventional or 320 F fan-forced.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place chicken skin side up. Scrape all remaining marinade from the bowl and dab it onto the chicken.
Bake for 30 minutes, then baste the chicken with the collected tray juices. Rotate the tray for even color.
Return to oven for another 10 minutes (40-minute mark), then baste again with tray juices.
Increase oven temperature to 390 F conventional or 360 F fan-forced. Bake a final 10 minutes to caramelize the skin to deep golden.
Rest for 3 minutes. Drizzle pan juices over chicken as a sauce and serve with jasmine rice and fresh cucumber and tomato.

Notes

Bone-in skin-on thighs give the best results. For boneless thighs or breast (about 1.5 lb), add 1 tbsp oil to marinade and reduce bake time to 20 to 25 minutes for thighs or 20 minutes for breast. On stovetop and BBQ use medium heat only as sugar burns on high heat. Basting twice is essential. Do not skip the final 10-minute high-heat finish. Storage: refrigerator up to 4 days, freezer up to 3 months. Reheat in oven or air fryer for best texture.