Thai grilled chicken
Charred, sticky Thai chicken thighs marinated with lemongrass, lime and coconut aminos — perfect for a barbecue or speedy midweek feast.
This Thai grilled chicken is all about bold, sticky flavours and scorched edges — lemongrass and lime lift rich, skin-on thighs into barbecue territory. It’s brilliant for a garden barbecue but easy enough midweek when you want a bit of theatre on the plate.
Marinating for a few hours builds deep flavour; finish under a hot grill or over charcoal for the best char and smokiness. Serve with a crisp salad or steamed rice to mop up the juices.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg chicken thighs — bone-in, skin-on
- 2 lemongrass — outer stalks removed, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed
- 2 shallots — peeled, roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli — de-seeded if you prefer less heat, finely chopped
- 60 ml coconut aminos
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 30 ml lime juice — about 2 limes
- 25 g palm sugar — or soft brown sugar
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 5 ml ground coriander seeds
- 5 ml white pepper
- 5 ml sea salt — for finishing and seasoning before grilling
- 15 g fresh coriander — leaves chopped for garnish
- 3 spring onions — finely sliced on the diagonal for garnish
- 15 ml sesame seeds — toasted, for garnish
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- meat thermometer
- charcoal barbecue or grill pan
- basting brush
Instructions
Make the marinade: put lemongrass, garlic cloves, shallots, red chilli, coconut aminos, fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, vegetable oil, ground coriander seeds and white pepper in a blender or food processor and blitz to a coarse paste. Transfer about 30 ml of the paste to a small bowl and set aside for basting.
Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl, pour the remaining marinade over them and massage so each piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 3 hours.
Remove the chicken from the fridge and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling.
Preheat a grill or barbecue to medium-high. Pat each thigh dry with kitchen paper (do not rub the marinade off completely) and sprinkle the skin lightly with sea salt.
Place the thighs skin-side down and grill for 10 minutes without moving them so the skin chars. During the last 3 minutes, brush once with the reserved 30 ml marinade. Watch for flare-ups and move pieces briefly if flames catch.
Turn the thighs and grill for a further 8 minutes until the thickest part reaches 74°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, check the juices run clear and there’s no pink at the bone.
Transfer the cooked thighs to a board and rest for 10 minutes to let the juices settle.
Scatter over chopped fresh coriander, sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds, carve and serve straight away.
Tips
- Reserve a small spoonful of the marinade before it touches raw chicken for basting. Never baste with marinade that’s been in contact with raw meat unless you cook it first.
- Pat the skin dry with kitchen paper before grilling to ensure crisp, charred skin — damp skin steams and won’t crisp.
- Make this ahead: marinate up to 12 hours in the fridge. Remove 20 minutes before grilling to take the chill off for even cooking.
- If you’re using a barbecue, cook over a medium-hot zone to avoid flare-ups. Charcoal adds the best smoky flavour but a hot grill pan works well too.
Substitutions
coconut aminos → tamari, same quantity (use a labelled gluten-free tamari to keep the dish gluten-free)
Stays closecoconut aminos → light soy sauce, same quantity (this will make the dish not gluten-free if the soy sauce contains wheat)
Noticeably differentpalm sugar → soft brown sugar, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 550
- Calories
- 45 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
You can, but breasts dry out more easily. Reduce grill time and watch internal temperature closely — remove at 68–70°C and rest to reach safe doneness.
Do I need a thermometer?
A probe thermometer is the easiest way to guarantee perfectly cooked chicken — aim for 74°C at the thickest point. If you don’t have one, check juices run clear and there’s no pink near the bone.
How long can I marinate the chicken?
Marinate at least 3 hours for good flavour and up to 12 hours. Much longer than that the lime starts to alter the meat’s texture.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, as written it’s gluten-free because it uses coconut aminos rather than soy sauce. If you swap to a soy sauce that contains wheat the recipe will no longer be gluten-free.
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