Imagine this scenario: You pull into your driveway after a long day at work; you exit your car and the first thing that hits you is the aroma of whatever is cooking on the neighbor’s grill.  Oh, you’ve planned your menu and have insisted on sticking to it. But your Aunt Martha’s famous tuna casserole recipe just doesn’t compare with … whatever might be cooking next door. Ah, so you’ve experienced this? Me too.

You know what? It’s your turn to cause some culinary envy in the neighborhood. And Thai Grilled Chicken is just the ticket.

This main dish offers the savory goodness of the char with the bright flavors of Thailand.  Not to mention, it’s a consistency eater’s dream — with moist meat surrounded by crispy skin (my favorite part). I’ve taken a few liberties with my version of Thai Grilled Chicken. Then again, so do thousands of street vendors who hawk this deliciousness on the many byways of Bangkok. ~ It’s good enough on its own, but I urge you to try it with the Gai Yang sauce.

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) — Cause some grill envy. Take a culinary trip to the streets of Bangkok.

1 – 3-5 lb whole chicken, butterflied then halved (see illustration below)
Marinade
Gai Yang Sauce

Place chicken in non-reactive dish and coat all sides with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 4-6 hours and preferably overnight.

Charcoal grill method
Fill a chimney starter with charcoal (about 6 lbs) and prepare charcoal for grilling. Place ready charcoal on one side of grill so as to be able to cook chicken using indirect heat. Grill chicken (with the legs closest to the heat source), flipping regularly, until thickest part of the breast registers 160F*, about 40 minutes. Move chicken directly over coals and grill until skin is golden-dark brown and crispy, about 5 more minutes. (Flip the chicken if it browns too quickly.)

Oven method
In a 400F oven, place chicken halves skin-side up on roasting rack above foil-lined pan and bake until thickest part of the breast registers 160F*. Set oven temperature to broil and cook until skin is golden-dark brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.

Place cooked chicken on a cutting board and allow to rest at least 5 minutes. Carve or chop and serve with Gai Yang Sauce for dipping.

*The USDA recommends an internal breast temperature of 165F. By broiling/grilling over direct coals and allowing the meat to rest 5-10 minutes, this internal temperature is easily achieved with this technique.

Marinade
3 Stalks – Lemongrass (You may use the paste available in most supermarkets)
6 – Garlic cloves
1 Bunch – Cilantro
1 TB – Dark soy sauce
1 tsp – Ground Coriander seeds
1 tsp – Freshly ground Black pepper
1/4 cup – Asian fish sauce
1/8 cup – Light brown or Turbinado (raw) sugar
2 – Kaffir Lime leaves (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and combine until a thin paste forms (it will resemble a thin pesto).

Gai Yang Sauce
1/4 cup – Fish sauce
2 TB – Light brown or Turbinado (raw) sugar
2 TB – Tamarind paste thinned with 2 TB warm water
Juice of one Lime, plus leftover peel
1 – Kaffir Lime leaf, crumpled (optional)

2-3 – Thai chiles, minced (or 2 Chile de Arbol or Cayenne, minced)
2 – Garlic cloves, minced
1 – Shallot, minced

2 TB – Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Place chiles, garlic and shallot in a heat-resistant bowl (large enough to accommodate the other ingredients). Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine fish sauce, sugar, thinned Tamarind paste, Lime juice and peel and Kaffir Lime leaf, if using. Bring to a simmer, stirring regularly to dissolve sugar. Once sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes of simmering), turn off heat and pour liquid through a strainer into bowl containing chiles, garlic and shallot. Discard the solids in the strainer. Allow sauce to sit for about 30 minutes, stirring in Cilantro just before serving.

How to Butterfly a Chicken

Grab the bird by the tail. Using sharp kitchen shears, start cutting straight ahead. (You’ll be cutting through some bones. No worries.)

Cut upward on the other side, just as you did for the first cut.
(Save this little piece for some chicken stock later on.)

 

Your bird is actually butterflied at this point. This illustration shows you how to cut the butterflied bird in half. — Just flip it over and cut up the center of the breast.

Want to receive notifications of my Confessions, Chronicles and recipes in your email? Just click here. I’d also love for you to join me on Facebook (click the ‘like’ button), Pinterest and Google+. Why not witness some of my Instagram antics too?

Read the original on: The Unorthodox Epicure