Description
Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring marinated boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets infused with lemongrass, garlic, and a blend of soy and fish sauces. Grilled to perfection for a deliciously charred exterior and juicy interior, this dish is best served with coconut rice, lime wedges, and traditional Thai dipping sauces for a complete, authentic meal.
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 1 tbsp lemongrass paste as substitute)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose soy sauce 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 or bottle of sweet chili sauce
- Lime wedges
- Red chili, finely sliced (optional)
- Cilantro / coriander leaves (optional)
- Coconut rice
Instructions
- Blitz Marinade: Place all marinade ingredients except the oil into a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until the lemongrass and garlic are fully pureed. If you don’t have a stick blender, finely grate the lemongrass and garlic and mix together.
- Marinate Chicken: Pour the blitzed marinade into a bowl and stir in the oil. Add the chicken fillets and toss well to thoroughly coat them. Cover the bowl and marinate overnight for best flavor; minimally marinate for at least 3 hours. If short on time, thinly slice the chicken, toss with the marinade, and cook immediately as a stir-fry.
- Preheat Grill or Pan: Heat your outdoor BBQ grill on high heat, or place a non-stick pan over high heat on the stove.
- Cook Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade (unless baking in oven, see notes). Place chicken on the hot grill or pan, then reduce heat to medium to prevent burning due to the marinade’s sugar content. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. If burning occurs, flip immediately and feel free to flip repeatedly as needed.
- Rest and Serve: Let the cooked chicken rest for 3 minutes to retain juices. Serve with a serving of steamy coconut rice, lime wedges, garnished with fresh sliced chilies and coriander/cilantro leaves. Pair with Nam Jim Jaew or your preferred sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Note 1: Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs ensures juiciness and even cooking.
- Note 2: Fresh lemongrass stalks provide the best flavor, but lemongrass paste can be used as a substitute in equal measure.
- Note 3: When grilling or pan-cooking, discard marinade to prevent flare-ups; if baking the chicken in an oven, you can use leftover marinade as a sauce, but make sure to boil it thoroughly to eliminate bacteria.
- Marinating overnight enhances flavor penetration for best results, though a minimum of 3 hours is adequate.
- This recipe pairs beautifully with coconut rice, which helps balance the savory and spicy flavors of the chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Grilled Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai grilled chicken, Gai Yang, lemongrass chicken, Thai marinade, grilled chicken thighs, Thai street food, coconut rice, Nam Jim Jaew
