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Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) with Coconut Rice and Dipping Sauces Recipe

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4.4 from 12 reviews

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring marinated boneless, skinless chicken thighs infused with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and soy sauces. This traditional Thai recipe is perfect for grilling or pan-cooking, resulting in tender, juicy chicken with a beautiful caramelized exterior. Serve with coconut rice and a zesty dipping sauce for a complete and satisfying meal.

  • Total Time: 3 hours 22 minutes
  • Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (skinless, boneless)
  • 1 large lemongrass stalk (white part only, reedy outer layers removed, sliced 5mm / 1/5" thick)
  • 4 cloves garlic (peeled, whole)
  • 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or any all-purpose soy or tamari)
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp (tightly packed) brown sugar or palm sugar
  • 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or any neutral-flavored oil)

To Serve

  • Nam Jim Jaew (traditional Thai dipping sauce for meat) - recommended
  • Lime Sweet Chilli Sauce or bottle of sweet chilli sauce
  • Lime wedges
  • Red chili (finely sliced, optional)
  • Cilantro / coriander leaves (optional)
  • Coconut rice

Instructions

  1. Blitz the 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 well with other ingredients.
  2. Marinate the chicken: Pour the pureed marinade into a bowl, add the oil, and stir to combine. Add the chicken thigh fillets and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and marinate overnight, or at least 3 hours for best flavor. If short on time, finely slice the chicken, toss with marinade, and cook immediately like a stir-fry.
  3. Heat the cooking surface: Preheat an outdoor BBQ grill on high or a non-stick pan on the stove over high heat.
  4. Cook the chicken: Remove chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade (unless baking, in which case refer to the notes). Place the chicken on the hot grill or pan, then reduce heat to medium to prevent burning due to the sugar content of the marinade. Cook each side for about 5 to 6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If the chicken begins to burn, flip immediately. It is okay to flip repeatedly as needed to avoid burning and ensure even cooking.
  5. Rest and serve: Allow the chicken to rest for 3 minutes after cooking. Serve alongside steamed coconut rice with lime wedges, and garnish with fresh sliced red chilies and coriander/cilantro. Accompany with Nam Jim Jaew or sweet chili sauces as desired.

Notes

  • The lemongrass white part can be substituted with 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemongrass tube paste if fresh is unavailable.
  • If baking instead of grilling or pan-cooking, marinade can be kept and used as a glaze during cooking to add moisture and flavor.
  • Marinating overnight intensifies the flavors and tenderizes the chicken, but a minimum of 3 hours is recommended for good results.
  • Cooking over medium heat after initial searing prevents the sugars in the marinade from burning too quickly.
  • Resting the chicken after cooking helps retain its juices for a more tender bite.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Grilling
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: Thai

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/thai-grilled-chicken-gai-yang-with-coconut-rice-and-dipping-sauces-recipe/