Gai Yang (Thai Grilled Chicken) with Jaew
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
Chicken legs are marinated in a coriander root and garlic paste, slow-roasted or grilled until charred, and served with a sharp, toasty jaew dipping sauce.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Make the marinade paste. Using a mortar and pestle or small food processor, pound the coriander roots and stems, garlic, white pepper and toasted coriander seed into a coarse paste. Mix in the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and oil.
- 2
Marinate the chicken. Slash the chicken to the bone and rub the paste in well, working it into the cuts. Marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours, so the paste has time to flavour the meat right through, not just the surface.
- 3
Toast the rice powder. In a dry pan, toast a tablespoon of glutinous rice over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, shaking regularly, until deep golden, then grind it coarsely. This toasted rice powder gives the jaew sauce its distinctive nutty aroma and gentle thickening. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) now, so it has at least 20 minutes to preheat.
- 4
Roast the chicken. Roast the chicken skin-up on the rack for 35-40 minutes, until the thigh meat reaches 80°C.
- 5
Char the skin. Finish under a high grill (broiler) for 3-5 minutes until charred in spots. To barbecue instead of roasting, cook over medium indirect heat with the lid down for 30-40 minutes until the thigh reaches 80°C, then finish skin-side down over direct heat for 2-3 minutes to crisp and char.
- 6
Rest and make the jaew. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar together until the sugar dissolves, then add the chilli flakes, shallot, toasted rice powder and coriander just before serving, since the rice powder thickens the sauce as it sits.
- 7
Serve. Serve the chicken with sticky rice and the jaew sauce for dipping. The charred, smoky chicken and the sharp, nutty dip are meant to be eaten together.
Storage
Fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a hot oven until piping hot and the chicken reaches 74°C again; make the jaew fresh rather than storing it, as the rice powder loses its texture over time. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- mortar and pestle or small food processor
- roasting tin with wire rack
- small dry frying pan
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 504 kcal |
| Protein | 33.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.1 g |
| of which sugars | 4.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 4.1 g |
| Fat | 36 g |
| of which saturates | 9.1 g |
| Fibre | 1 g |
| Salt | 2.79 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
