Gai Yang Thai Grilled Chicken

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Elephant sanctuaries

📍 Where this dish comes from: Northern Thailand · Elephant sanctuaries
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Gai Yang Thai Grilled Chicken, plated and ready to serve

Gai Yang from Northeast Thailand is the grilled chicken that converted generations of visitors to Thai food. The bird is marinated in a mixture of coriander root, garlic, turmeric, and fish sauce, then grilled slowly over charcoal until the skin is lacquered and crisp while the meat stays juicy and infused with herbal fragrance. It is deceptively simple and devastatingly good, the benchmark every other grilled chicken gets measured against.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Gai Yang Thai Grilled Chicken

Gai Yang Thai Grilled Chicken

Crispy-skinned, herb-marinated grilled chicken — arguably the best grilled chicken in the world, finished with a spicy tamarind dipping sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 480kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (1.5kg) spatchcocked
  • 6 coriander roots pounded
  • 8 garlic cloves pounded
  • 1 tsp fresh turmeric grated
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce Dipping sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice Dipping sauce
  • 2 tbsp tamarind Dipping sauce
  • chilies Dipping sauce
  • erythritol Dipping sauce

Instructions

  • Pound coriander root, garlic, and turmeric to a paste.
  • Mix with fish sauce, coconut aminos, pepper, and coconut oil.
  • Rub marinade under the skin and all over the chicken. Refrigerate 4+ hours.
  • Grill over charcoal on indirect heat 45–50 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.
  • Brush with marinade during the last 10 minutes for lacquered skin.
  • Make the dipping sauce by combining all ingredients.
  • Rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 480kcal | Protein: 52g | Fat: 28g | Fiber: 0.5g
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Cooking Gai Yang Thai Grilled Chicken in the kitchen

Health Benefits

  • Spatchcocking allows fat to render and baste the meat naturally during grilling.
  • Turmeric in the marinade provides curcumin, which caramelises into the crisp skin as it cooks.
  • Slow grilling over charcoal allows internal collagen to convert to gelatin without overcooking the flesh.

Pairs Well With

  • Cauliflower Khao Pad Thai Fried Rice
  • Jicama Som Tam Green Papaya Style Salad
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