The following recipe and excerpt for Thai grilled chicken with sweet chili sauce are from “Barbecue: Smoked & Grilled Recipes From Across the Globe“ by Hugh Mangum . It’s available for purchase at Amazon.

This dish, gai yang, from northeastern Thailand, is the most popular grilled chicken dish in the country (and beloved street food in Bangkok). A whole chicken is marinated in garlic, lemongrass, cilantro (coriander) roots, soy sauce, and fish sauce, then chargrilled. It’s often served with sticky rice and the spicy dipping sauce, nam jim jaew.

Thai Grilled Chicken with Sweet Chili Sauce

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 50 minutesTotal time:2 hours 10 minutesServings:6 servings

Ingredients

For the marinated chicken:

8 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves removed and chopped
1/2 cup (25 g) cilantro (coriander) with stems, chopped
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sweet soy sauce or dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (5 to 6-lb) chicken, butterflied

For the dipping sauce (Nam Jim Jaew):

1 tablespoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon toasted sticky rice (kao khua), ground (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander)
1 tablespoon chopped scallions (spring onions)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

For serving:

Sticky rice
Lime wedges

Instructions

In a food processor, combine the garlic, shallots, lemongrass, and cilantro (coriander) and blend until it forms a paste. Add the remaining ingredients except the chicken and blend well.
Rub the marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight or, preferably, 12 hours.
Combine the sugar and 1 tablespoon hot water in a large bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients, then set aside.
Set aside the chicken for 1 to 2 hours to bring to room temperature.
Preheat a grill to high for indirect grilling.
Place the chicken, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill and cook for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 140 degrees F. Flip the chicken and place it on the hot side of the grill. Cook for another 3 minutes, until the skin is crispy. Set aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve warm with sticky rice, the dipping sauce, and lime wedges.

This Thai Grilled Chicken Is A Perfect Weekend Project