Ultimate Thai BBQ Chicken ไก่ย่าง (gai yang)

Ultimate Thai BBQ Chicken ไก่ย่าง (gai yang)

180 min

The ultimate recipe for your chicken on the grill. Thai BBQ Chicken or "Gai Yang" will be the only recipe you need this summer! Recipe from Hot Thai Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken breast (that's TWO sides of the breast on the rib cage)
  • 2 chicken legs (thigh & drumstick combo), bone-in, skin-on (equivalent of 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs)
  • 1½ tsp white peppercorns
  • 2 tsp toasted coriander seeds
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp black soy sauce (or another kind of dark soy sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp Thai tamarind paste, store bought or homemade (what is tamarind?)
  • 1 Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped, or light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • Chili flakes, to taste
  • 1 Tbsp shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp green onion, chopped
  • 3 sprigs cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp toasted rice powder (see how to make it here, it's easy!)

Directions

  1. 1

    Grind white peppercorns and coriander seeds into a powder using a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder. Add lemongrass and garlic and pound into a fine paste. Transfer into a bowl and add all remaining marinade ingredients; stir to dissolve the sugar.

  2. 2

    Split the breasts in half so you have two split, bone-in breasts (see technique in the video) and separate the dums from the thighs. Trim off excess skin from the thighs, if any. 

  3. 3

    Add chicken pieces to a zip-top bag or a casserole dish and pour the marinade over, making sure all the pieces are well coated. Press out as much air as possible and marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight, stir the chicken or flip the bag half way through to ensure even marinating.

  4. 4

    Make the toasted rice powder by adding raw jasmine or glutinous rice into a dry skillet, then toast over high heat, stirring constantly, until the grains are dark brown. Remove from heat and pour the rice onto a plate to cool slightly. Once cool, grind in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle into a powder.

  5. 5

    About 45 minutes before cooking, pull the chicken out to room temperature so they're not too cold.