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Gai yang
Grilled lemongrass chicken
ไก่ย่าง (kai yang) — Isan lemongrass-marinated grilled chicken
Bus stations and football matches across Isan have the same soundtrack: the crackle of chicken pieces clamped in split bamboo over glowing coals, and the thump of a pestle making som tam beside them. Gai yang is marinated in garlic, coriander root, white pepper and lemongrass, then grilled slowly so the skin turns lacquered and smoky while the meat stays juicy. Tear it apart with your hands and eat it with sticky rice, green papaya salad and a sour-hot jaew dipping sauce. Chef's tip: leave it in the marinade overnight in the fridge; the lemongrass and garlic need hours to get past the skin.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 3 stalks lemongrasstough outer layers removed, thinly sliced
- 8 cloves garlicpeeled
- 4 coriander rootsscrubbed, or 20 g coriander stems
- 1 tsp white peppercorns
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp palm sugargrated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the chicken
- 3 ⅓ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticksskin on, or a 1.6 kg chicken, spatchcocked
For the jaew dipping sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp toasted rice powdertoast 1 tbsp sticky rice until golden and grind
- ½ tsp palm sugar
- 1 shallotthinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
To serve
- 1 ⅓ lb cooked sticky rice (optional)
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Pound 1 tsp white peppercorns and ½ tsp salt in a mortar, then add 4 coriander roots, 8 cloves garlic and 3 stalks lemongrass and pound to a coarse, fragrant paste (about 5 minutes).
Step 2: Stir in 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 ½ tbsp palm sugar, ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tbsp vegetable oil until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3: On a board kept for raw poultry, cut two deep slashes in each piece of 3 ⅓ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks down to the bone. Rub the marinade all over and into the cuts, then wash the board, knife and your hands.
Step 4: Cover and marinate in the fridge, never on the counter, for at least 4 hours and up to 24.
240 minStep 5: Light a charcoal grill and let it burn down to medium coals, banked to one side; or heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Scrape most of the marinade off the chicken so it doesn't burn.
20 minStep 6: Grill the chicken skin-side up over the cooler side, lid on, turning every 8–10 minutes, for 30–35 minutes. The sugar in the marinade burns quickly, so a common mistake is cooking straight over hot coals: the outside goes black while the bone is still raw. In the oven, roast on a rack for 35–40 minutes.
35 minStep 7: Move the pieces over the hot side for the last 3–5 minutes, turning, to blister and char the skin in spots.
5 minStep 8: Check the thickest piece next to the bone: it must read 165°F (165 °F) and the juices must run clear, not pink. Give any piece that isn't there a few more minutes.
Step 9: Rest the chicken on a clean board (not the raw one) for 5–10 minutes.
10 minStep 10: Meanwhile, stir 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 1 tsp toasted rice powder, ½ tsp palm sugar and 1 shallot together in a small bowl, adding coriander if you like. Serve with the chicken and sticky rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gai yang take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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