Description
A vibrant and flavorful Thai grilled chicken recipe featuring succulent marinated chicken thigh fillets infused with lemongrass, garlic, and a blend of savory sauces. Perfectly grilled to golden perfection, this dish is served with fragrant coconut rice and traditional Thai dipping sauces, delivering an authentic taste of Thailand at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (skinless, boneless)
- 1 large lemongrass stalk (white part only, reedy outer layers removed, sliced 5mm / 1/5" thick) or 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce or any all-purpose soy or tamari
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp tightly packed brown sugar or palm sugar
- 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or any other neutral flavored oil)
Accompaniments
- Nam Jim Jaew (traditional Thai dipping sauce for meat, recommended)
- Lime sweet chili sauce
- Sweet chili sauce (bottle)
- Lime wedges
- Red chili, finely sliced (optional)
- Cilantro/coriander leaves (optional)
- Coconut rice
Instructions
- Blitz: Place all marinade ingredients except for the oil into a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until the lemongrass and garlic are fully pureed. If you don’t have a stick blender, finely grate the lemongrass and garlic, then mix thoroughly.
- Marinate: Pour the pureed marinade into a bowl, add oil, and stir well. Add the chicken thigh fillets and toss until they are thoroughly coated with the marinade. Cover and marinate overnight for best flavor, though a minimum of 3 hours is acceptable. If short on time, finely slice the chicken, toss in the marinade, and cook like a stir-fry.
- Heat the grill or pan: Preheat your outdoor BBQ grill to high heat or heat a non-stick pan over high heat on the stove.
- Cook: Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the excess marinade (unless baking in the oven, see note 3). Place the chicken on the BBQ or in the hot pan, then reduce the heat to medium to prevent burning due to the sugar content in the marinade. Cook the chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. If the chicken begins to burn, flip it immediately and continue flipping as needed.
- Rest and serve: Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes after cooking. Serve alongside a generous mound of steamy coconut rice, lime wedges, fresh sliced red chilies, and coriander/cilantro leaves. Accompany with your chosen dipping sauce such as Nam Jim Jaew or sweet chili sauce for an authentic Thai experience.
Notes
- Note 1: Using skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets ensures juicy, tender meat without extra fat.
- Note 2: If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, substitute with 1 tbsp lemongrass paste for convenience.
- Note 3: If baking instead of grilling or pan-frying, you can retain the marinade to baste the chicken during cooking. However, discard marinade when grilling or pan-frying for food safety.
- The marinade is sweet and can burn easily, so monitor the cooking temperature carefully and adjust as needed.
- Marinating overnight deeply infuses flavors, but a minimum of 3 hours still produces good results.
- Serve with coconut rice to complement the aromatic spices and add a creamy, fragrant base to the meal.
