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Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)

Thai · Appetizer · Main

A classic Southeast Asian street food staple featuring chicken marinated in a fragrant blend of lemongrass, garlic, coriander roots, and fish sauce, grilled to smoky perfection.

IntermediateHigh proteinGluten free
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Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) — recipe cover
1 hrA little patience, a lot of flavor
Prep time20 min
Cook time40 min
Servings4 people
DifficultyIntermediate
Let's make something good

How to make it

5 steps. Take it one step at a time.

  1. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander roots, garlic

    Using a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander roots, garlic, and white peppercorns until they form a smooth paste.

  2. Add the finely minced lemongrass

    Add the finely minced lemongrass to the paste and pound briefly to combine. Then, stir in the fish sauce, light soy sauce, palm sugar, and turmeric powder until the sugar is fully dissolved.

  3. Place the chicken

    Place the chicken in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring every piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

    2 hr
  4. Prepare your grill

    Prepare your grill for medium heat. Grill the chicken, skin-side down first, for about 15-20 minutes per side. Flip occasionally to ensure even cooking and prevent the skin from burning. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

    40 min
  5. Let the chicken rest

    Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces and serving.

    10 min

A little kitchen wisdom

For the most authentic flavor, use coriander roots rather than just the stems. Marinating overnight is highly recommended to let the flavors penetrate deep into the meat. Serve with sticky rice and nam jim jaew (Thai dipping sauce).

What you'll need

Mortar and pestleGrillMeat thermometer
Keep the good going

For now. And for later.

Make it ahead

The chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance.

Store & enjoy

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in an oven or air fryer to maintain skin crispness.

Allergens

Contains fish, soy.

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An AI-created recipe from the EZdish collection. Ingredient quantities and techniques have not been independently kitchen-tested. Published on this website . Updated . First published in the EZdish collection .

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)
Step 1 of 5

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander roots, garlic

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander roots, garlic, and white peppercorns until they form a smooth paste.