Kai Yang (Garlic Chicken)

Kai yang is Thai street food at its best. Chicken breasts rubbed with a pungent paste of crushed garlic, coriander root, cracked black peppercorns, and lemon juice, then grilled under high heat until the skin turns crackling crisp and the meat stays juicy underneath.

The coriander here is used whole plant: roots, stems, and leaves, all finely chopped. The root is where the deepest, most earthy coriander flavor lives, and it’s what gives authentic Thai marinades their distinctive aroma. If your coriander doesn’t come with roots attached, use extra stems. They’re the next best thing.

Crushing the garlic with salt creates a rough paste that clings to the chicken better than minced garlic would. The salt draws moisture from the garlic, breaking it down into something almost spreadable. Mixed with the coarsely ground peppercorns and coriander, this paste gets rubbed into every surface of the chicken.

Marinating for at least an hour is the minimum, but overnight in the fridge is where the flavor really penetrates. The lemon juice tenderizes the surface while the garlic and pepper work their way deeper into the meat. Under a hot grill, turning every 5 minutes, the exterior chars and crisps while the inside stays moist.

Pro Tips

• Coarsely crack the peppercorns, don’t grind them fine. You want bursts of sharp pepper heat in each bite, not a uniform seasoning.
• Keep the chicken about 6 inches from the heat source. Too close and the garlic burns before the chicken cooks through.
• Serve with sweet chili dipping sauce and sticky rice for an authentic Thai meal.

Variations

• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier, more forgiving results on the grill.
• Add a tablespoon of fish sauce to the marinade for a more intensely savory, traditional Thai flavor.
• Grill over charcoal instead of under a broiler for a smokier, more street-food-authentic finish.