🍗 Gai yang (Thai grilled chicken)

Name: Gai yang (Thai grilled chicken)
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thailand · Isan
Ingredients: 1 kg chicken pieces (thighs and legs), or a spatchcocked chicken; 3 lemongrass stalks, finely chopped; 6 garlic cloves; 4 cilantro roots with stems; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp palm or brown sugar; 1 tbsp oil

Origin: Thailand · Isan

412kcal

per serving · 250 g

165kcal

per 100 g

60 gProtein24 g / 100 g

18 gFat7 g / 100 g

5 gCarbs2 g / 100 g

Gai yang is Thai grilled chicken marinated in a paste of lemongrass, garlic, cilantro root, black pepper and fish sauce, then cooked slowly over charcoal until the skin is smoky and lightly charred. The meat stays juicy and fragrant. It is typically eaten with sticky rice, green papaya salad and a sour-spicy dipping sauce of chili and tamarind.

Diets

✓

No porkfor halal, the meat must be halal-slaughtered

✓

Gluten-freeno wheat, barley or rye in a typical recipe

✓

Dairy-freeno milk, cheese, butter or yogurt in a typical recipe

✓

Keto-friendly2 g carbs per 100 g

✓

High protein24 g protein per 100 g — 58% of the calories

Not vegetarianbecause of: chicken, fish sauce

Not veganbecause of: chicken, fish sauce

Allergens

Contains (in a typical recipe):

⚠ Fish

What it is made of

chickenlemongrassgarliccilantro rootfish sauce

Recipe

4 servings60 min

Ingredients

1 kg chicken pieces (thighs and legs), or a spatchcocked chicken
3 lemongrass stalks, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves
4 cilantro roots with stems
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm or brown sugar
1 tbsp oil

Method

Pound or blend the lemongrass, garlic, cilantro root and peppercorns into a paste.
Mix in the fish sauce, sugar and oil and rub the paste all over the chicken.
Marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
Grill over medium charcoal or under an oven grill for 30–40 minutes, turning often, until cooked through and browned.
Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.

How to make it lighter

Remove the skin before eating to cut a large share of the fat.
Breast meat grills well with this marinade and is leaner than thighs.
Pair it with green papaya salad and a small portion of sticky rice rather than a large basket.

History

Gai yang comes from Isan, the north-eastern region of Thailand, where it forms a classic trio with som tam and sticky rice. Vendors from Isan spread it to Bangkok and across the country, and many towns are known for their own style.

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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →