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Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 81 reviews

This Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) recipe features tender, boneless chicken thigh fillets marinated in a flavorful blend of lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauces, and brown sugar. Grilled to a perfect golden brown, this dish captures authentic Thai street food flavors and is served with fragrant coconut rice, lime wedges, fresh chilies, cilantro, and optional dipping sauces for a vibrant and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Marinade

  • 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless
  • 1 large lemongrass stalk, white part only, sliced 5mm / 1/5″ thick (outer layers removed)
  • 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 vegetable oil, canola, or any other neutral flavored oil

To Serve

  • Nam Jim Jaew (traditional Thai dipping sauce for meat) – recommended
  • Lime sweet chili sauce
  • Bottle of sweet chili sauce
  • Lime wedges
  • Red chili, finely sliced (optional)
  • Cilantro / coriander leaves (optional)
  • Coconut rice

Instructions

  1. Blitz: Place all marinade ingredients except the oil (lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and brown sugar) in a jug just large enough for a stick blender. Blitz until lemongrass and garlic are fully pureed. If you don’t have a stick blender, finely grate the lemongrass and garlic, then mix all ingredients thoroughly.
  2. Marinate: Pour the pureed marinade into a bowl, add the oil, and stir to combine. Add chicken thigh fillets, tossing to thoroughly coat them in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight for best flavor, or at minimum 3 hours. If short on time, slice chicken finely, toss with marinade, and cook immediately as a stir-fry.
  3. Heat Grill or Pan: Preheat an outdoor BBQ grill on high heat or heat a non-stick pan over high heat on the stovetop.
  4. Cook: Remove chicken from the marinade, discarding any leftover marinade. Place the chicken on the BBQ or in the pan, reduce heat to medium to prevent burning due to the sweet marinade. Cook chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until the exterior is golden brown and cooked through. If the chicken starts to burn, flip it immediately. You can flip repeatedly as needed to avoid charring.
  5. Rest and Serve: Let the grilled chicken rest for 3 minutes before serving. Plate alongside a mound of steamy coconut rice, garnish with fresh lime wedges, finely sliced red chilies, and cilantro/coriander leaves if desired. Serve with Nam Jim Jaew or your choice of sweet chili sauces for dipping.

Notes

  • The recipe calls for skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets which yield juicy and tender meat.
  • Lemongrass can be substituted with a lemongrass paste if fresh stalks are unavailable.
  • If baking chicken instead of grilling or pan-cooking, you may use leftover marinade to baste but ensure to bring it to a boil before use.
  • Marinating overnight enhances the depth of flavor but at least 3 hours is recommended for best results.
  • Grilling or pan-cooking over medium heat prevents the sugar in the marinade from burning.

Keywords: Thai grilled chicken, Gai Yang, lemongrass chicken, Thai street food, grilled chicken thighs, coconut rice accompaniment, spicy Thai marinade

Find it online: https://dinewithdylan.com/thai-grilled-chicken-gai-yang-recipe/