Posted on 12th Jul 2025

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)

This popular Thai street food recipe is packed full of lemongrass flavour and a perfect dish for a BBQ with family and friends

Cuisine

Thai

Time

2 hr 30 mins

Servings

2 people people

Ingredients

2 chicken legs (legs and thighs)

THE MARINADE

6-8 cloves of garlic
3 lemongrass stalks
Handful of coriander (leaves and stalks)
3-4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp palm sugar
1 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
3-4 tbsp hot water (to help melt the palm sugar)
1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns

Method

PREPARATION

Finely chop the garlic, lemongrass and coriander root, a pestle and mortar to a paste, add the rest of the marinade ingredients.

In a mixing bowl pour over the marinade onto the chicken, making sure all the chicken is well covered (if you want you can massage the marinade in between the skin and meat). Cover the bowl and marinade in the fridge for an hour, ideally overnight.

COOKING

Heat an oven proof skillet on high heat. Place the chicken skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, turn the chicken, brush with the marinade and cook for further 3-4 minutes and then place the skillet into an oven for 20-25 minutes at 200°C until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is nicely browned / charred.