Thai Grilled Chicken Gai Yang

This Thai Grilled Chicken Gai Yang brings the distinct flavors of Thailands famous street food right to your own backyard without any special tools. I remember the first time I tried to recreate those smoky, savory street vendor flavors in my Midwest kitchen, realizing I did not need to light a huge charcoal pit to get that wonderful taste.

While my roots are deep in Southern comfort food and my grandmothers farmhouse kitchen, I have always believed that bringing people together means exploring new tastes. When my family started craving something with a little more zip than my usual Sunday roasts, I tinkered with this fragrant marinade until it was completely foolproof. The aroma of lemongrass and garlic hitting the hot grill takes me right back to those joyous summer gatherings, just with a delicious new twist. Your kitchen is about to smell wonderful.

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Why Thai Grilled Chicken Gai Yang Belongs in Your Recipe Box

In my kitchen, the best recipes are the ones that deliver massive flavor without making you work for hours. This Thai grilled chicken does exactly that, proving that a culinary adventure does not mean complicated cooking.

• Uses pantry staples you likely have, skipping the need for hard to find pastes
• Comes together quickly on busy evenings, needing less than 20 minutes of active cooking
• Delivers consistent, crowd pleasing results that even the picky eaters will love
• Adapts easily to your cooking setup, whether you use an outdoor BBQ or a stove top pan
• Creates that perfect sticky, caramelized exterior with a juicy, tender center

Ingredient Spotlight

• Boneless chicken thighs are my absolute favorite cut for this recipe because they stay incredibly tender and have just enough fat to get those gorgeous caramelized edges on the grill.
• Lemongrass provides that signature earthy lemon flavor that sets this dish apart from a standard barbecue sauce, and I always choose the tender white part of the stalk for the best taste.
• Garlic cloves build that classic savory base we all love, and blending them whole saves precious prep time.
• Fish sauce might sound intimidating if you are not used to it, but I have learned that its salty, savory magic completely disappears into the meat, leaving no fishy taste behind once cooked.
• Light and dark soy sauce work together beautifully. In my kitchen, I prefer using light soy for the base salt and just a splash of dark soy to give the chicken that beautiful bronzed finish.
• Brown sugar balances the salty elements and helps the chicken caramelize, creating those irresistible charry edges.

Bettys Tested Technique

Step 1. I have found that placing the lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauces, and sugar in a tall jug and blitzing it with a stick blender saves me from dragging out the heavy food processor.
Step 2. Betty always starts by pouring the pureed mixture into a bowl, stirring in the oil, and tossing the chicken until every piece is thoroughly coated.
Step 3. Through trial and error, I learned that letting it marinate overnight is the real secret to getting those big flavors all the way through the meat, though 3 hours will do in a pinch.
Step 4. My family prefers when I heat the outdoor BBQ grill on high, but I immediately turn it down to medium once the chicken goes on to prevent the sweet marinade from burning. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and for stovetop or BBQ cooking, discard the remaining marinade.
Step 5. Cook the chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown, flipping repeatedly if you see it charring too fast.
Step 6. The key I discovered is to never skip resting the meat for 3 to 5 minutes so the juices can settle back into the fibers before slicing.

Keeping This Thai Grilled Chicken Fresh

I typically store any leftover Thai Grilled Chicken Gai Yang in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it stays perfectly fresh for up to 4 days. The flavors actually continue to deepen, making it a fantastic grab and go protein for weekday lunches. If you want to freeze it, I recommend freezing the raw chicken right in the marinade in a freezer safe bag, squeezing out all the excess air. It will keep well for up to 3 months and saves you a step on busy nights. For the best texture when reheating cooked leftovers, I gently warm it in a skillet over medium low heat or pop it in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes, which keeps it much juicier than using the microwave.

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Perfect Partners for Thai Grilled Chicken Gai Yang

• Coconut Rice: The creamy, subtle sweetness of coconut rice is the perfect vehicle to soak up any extra marinade juices.
• Fresh Cucumber and Tomato Slices: Plain, raw vegetables offer a crisp, refreshing crunch that cuts through the rich, savory chicken.
• Nam Jim Jaew Dipping Sauce: This traditional Thai sauce adds a bright, acidic kick that elevates the entire plate.
• Asian Slaw: A crunchy cabbage and carrot slaw provides a wonderful texture contrast to the tender grilled meat. If you want another quick Asian chicken dish to rotate into your weeknights, my chicken zucchini stir fry is a great option when you are short on marinating time.
• Sweet Chilli Sauce: If you enjoy that sweet and savory profile, you might also love my Thai sweet chili chicken or Thai peanut chicken for a creamy variation on these same flavors.
• Crispy Hot Honey Feta Chicken: If you love sweet and savory flavor combinations on chicken, this is another skillet recipe my family asks for regularly.

FAQs

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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 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

0 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

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

 

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Heat your outdoor BBQ grill on high, or a non-stick pan over high heat on the stove.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.