Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers (Gai Yang)
Juicy, flavour-packed Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers (Gai Yang) made with tender chicken thighs marinated in a bold Thai-style paste of lemongrass, coriander, garlic and kecap manis. Sticky, smoky and perfectly charred, these easy skewers taste just like Thai street food and are perfect for weeknight dinners, BBQs or entertaining.
Ingredients
- 1kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2-3cm cubes (can also use whole or halved thigh fillets)
- 1 stick lemongrass, white part only, sliced
- ½ bunch coriander, roots and stems chopped, leaves reserved
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon neutral flavoured cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
TO SERVE
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Sliced cucumber, red onion and red chilli
- Coriander sprigs (reserved from marinade)
Instructions
MARINATE CHICKEN
- Place the chicken pieces into a glass or ceramic bowl, or a large zip-lock bag.
- Add all marinade ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for basting and refrigerate it.
- Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and mix well to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for maximum flavour.
COOK THE SKEWERS
- Preheat a charcoal barbecue, grill plate or grill pan until hot.
- Thread the marinated chicken onto 8 metal or soaked bamboo skewers.
- Lightly oil the grill, then cook the skewers for 7–8 minutes, turning often, until lightly charred and almost cooked through.
- Begin basting with the reserved marinade and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, turning often, until glossy and cooked through.
- Rest the skewers for 5 minutes, then serve with coriander sprigs, sliced cucumber, red onion and chilli.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - BAMBOO SKEWERS
If using bamboo skewers, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken. This helps prevent them from burning too quickly on the grill.