Thai grilled chicken known as gai yang is one of my absolute favorite ways to eat chicken. Its crispy skin, succulent meat, and garlicky, earthy flavor are downright delicious. And when combined with green papaya salad and sticky rice, as it usually is in Thailand, it's hard to think of a better meal.
Thai grilled chicken is known as gai yang. It originated in Isan, the northeastern region of Thailand, but is now enjoyed throughout the country, and can also be found in many western Thai restaurants. It is made by marinating a whole spatchcocked chicken with a paste of garlic, white peppercorns, and cilantro roots, and then grilling it slowly over low heat. The result is succulent juicy meat, crisp skin, and a mouthful of delectable Thai flavor!
It is a great dish for children and others who have just been introduced to Thai food, as it has many of the requisite Thai flavors, but is still, at its heart, grilled chicken, and therefore familiar enough to the non-Thai palate.
Every time my Thai in-laws come to visit, they prepare a meal of Thai grilled chicken, green papaya salad, and sticky rice for us. And every time, it is devoured with many comments of "arroy mak mak!" (so so delicious!). The recipe below is an adaptation of my what my father in law calls his "honey grilled chicken". I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
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What does Gai Yang mean in Thai?
"Gai" is the Thai word for chicken, and "yang" means to grill. Put together, "gai yang" therefore translates to grilled chicken.
As you can see in this handy infographic, knowing just a few key words such as "gai" and "yang" can help you to interpret many different Thai foods. You can add a different protein to "yang" and get a variety of grilled dishes (moo yang is grilled pork, pla yang is grilled fish). Likewise, you can change the method of cooking but keep "gai" for chicken to get another set of dishes (gai tod is fried chicken, ob gai is chicken cooked in an oven).
Ingredients to Make Gai Yang
Just as there are different ways of preparing grilled chicken in the U.S., there are many different versions of gai yang in Thailand, depending on the region or family recipe. However, most gai yang starts off with a classic Thai marinade composed of cilantro roots, white peppercorns, and fresh garlic. This trio of aromatic ingredients is pounded together with a mortar and pestle until you get a smooth paste. It produces a garlicky, earthy flavor with a slight peppery spice.
Other herbs such as lemongrass or turmeric might be added to some marinade recipes. Some form of salt is added as well, whether in the form of fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, table salt, or a combination. A sweetener is also usually added to round out the marinade. This can be honey, palm sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar.
The version of Thai grilled chicken in the recipe below utilizes salt and honey in addition to the white pepper and fresh garlic aromatic paste. Cilantro roots have been omitted from this recipe for simplicity. It is primarily garlicky, salty, and sweet, with a very subtle spice.
Instructions to Make Gai Yang
Gai yang is typically made by marinating chicken with the classic Thai marinade described above and cooking it over a charcoal grill, slow and low.
Gather the Ingredients:
The first step is procuring the ingredients for the marinade. Garlic should be readily accessible, but the other two ingredients may be more elusive. If you aren't able to find white peppercorns, ground white pepper works as well. Thai or other Southeast Asian grocers may sell cilantro with the roots attached. If and when you find them, I suggest you stock up! The roots can be cut off, cleaned, and frozen to use for several months. If you're not able to find cilantro roots, you can substitute the stems of the cilantro plant, or even coriander seeds.
Make the Marinade:
These ingredients are pounded together in a mortar and pestle until a smooth paste is formed. Then the remaining ingredients of the marinade are added. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can use a food processor to get roughly the same result.
Prepare the Chicken:
In Thailand, you will often find a whole chicken spatchcocked or butterflied and secured onto skewers for easier turning on the grill. Cornish hen or just drumsticks / wings also work well. Pour the marinade over the chicken and use your hands to work the sauce into the skin. Then let it marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or up to several days.
Grill the Chicken:
Once the chicken has had time to absorb all of the delicious flavors of the marinade, it's time to cook. It can be grilled over low heat until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Then it can be moved to a hotter part of the grill to crisp up the skin. I often cook this Thai grilled chicken in the oven instead. Cook it at 350 degrees for 1 hour 20 minutes. Then turn it to low broil to achieve crispy skin at the end.
How to Serve Gai Yang
Gai Yang is almost always served together with green papaya salad (som tam) and sticky rice (khao neow). It's a set meal kind of thing, like how a hamburger is often served with French fries. The green papaya salad is usually served cold and very spicy (although you can adjust the spice level if you make it at home). The sticky rice is warm and chewy. Together, they make the perfect compliment to the garlicky, earthy, succulent bites of chicken. The whole meal can be eaten with your hands instead of utensils. Just grab a handful of sticky rice, a piece of chicken, and a few strands of green papaya to savor all the delicious flavors in one bite!
And finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention two of the dipping sauces that go well with Thai grilled chicken. They are often served with this set meal. They are nam jim gai and nam jim jaew. "Nam jim" is the Thai word for dipping sauce. As you already know, "gai" is chicken, so nam jim gai is chicken dipping sauce. It is mostly sweet and vinegary, with a subtle spice and can be found in many western grocery stores. Nam jim jaew is a delicious dipping sauce made from dried chilis and toasted rice powder. It is primarily spicy, sour, smoky, and crunchy. It is often served with grilled meats from the Isan region of Thailand.
However you end up serving your Thai grilled chicken, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. The succulent meat, crisp skin, and delicious Thai flavors really just can't be beat!
Recipe
Thai Grilled Chicken | Gai Yang | ไก่ย่าง
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoons ground white pepper
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 5 pound chicken (or 2 cornish hens)
Instructions
- Peel the head of garlic and put all cloves into the mortar and pestle. Pound the garlic until all cloves are broken down.
- Add the salt and white pepper and continue pounding until a smooth paste is formed. Add the honey and mix until incorporated into the marinade.
- Place the marinade in a large gallon size ziploc bag with the chicken or cornish hens. Massage the marinade into the chicken, then place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours, and up overnight.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the marinated chicken on the grill rack of a roasting pan and cook in oven for 1 hour. Turn the chicken over and cook on the other side for 20 additional minutes. Flip back to front side, turn the oven up to HIGH BROIL and cook for 8 more minutes to achieve crisp skin.
- Serve chicken with green papaya salad and sticky rice. Don't forget the nam jim gai or nam jim jaew dipping sauces! Enjoy!
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