Originally from southern Thailand, Thai turmeric chicken (Gai Yang Khamin) is a deliciously delicious, sweet, sticky and savory street food. The marinade is incredibly simple: garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric powder and sugar. Turmeric really works!
Southern Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin)
This is great to marinate tonight and cook tomorrow, to bring authentic Thai flavors to your table! It’s sweet but has layers of savory and is incredibly delicious for something so simple.
Considering the excellent street food in Thailand, it will come as no surprise that I found this on my travels. It’s a street food that comes from the south called Gai Yang Khaminand it’s one of those recipes that tastes like it contains way more ingredients than it does.
At the time I tried it, I didn’t know what it was called, although the mystery was solved by furiously Googling “yellow Thai grilled chicken” in my determination to replicate it at home.
Street vendors grill it over smoked coals and use whole chicken in butter. I bake it in the oven and use chicken thighs instead to make it Monday night friendly. This, however, doesn’t compromise the flavor – it’s still ridiculously delicious!
Thai Turmeric Chicken Ingredients
This is one of those recipes that tastes like it has way more ingredients than it does. I feel a secret emotion in finding recipes like this!!
For the juiciest, stickiest chicken with the best glaze, bone-in thighs are best. But I did provide directions for breast and other cuts.
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Chicken – As noted above, skin-on and bone-in thighs are best because the time it takes for the skin to get sticky and browned is the same time it takes for the inside to cook to juicy perfection. Leaner, boneless cuts, such as breast and boneless thigh, cook faster, before the surface has a chance to caramelize. However, I’ve provided directions for these – and you could always pan fry them! The chopsticks are also excellent, cheap option: They work perfectly as direct replacements.
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Turmeric powder – Key flavor and color for this dish. That’s what makes this Thai Turmeric chicken!!
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Fish sauce – Secret ingredient! It adds salt with extra layers of flavor so this otherwise simple marinade isn’t bland.
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oyster sauce – Second secret ingredient! Adds sweetness with savory undertones.
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Sugar – For extra sweetness.
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Garlic – Really good bullshit!
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Pepper – I like the flavor that white pepper gives but you can replace it with black pepper.
How to make Thai Turmeric Chicken
Put it in the marinade tonight and cook it tomorrow! Marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Then bake and baste until golden and gooey (45 minutes).
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Mix the marinade in a bowl: garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and turmeric.
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Marinade the chicken for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
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Baking on a lined baking tray for 50 minutes until the top is tacky and delicious.
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Baste using the juices from the tray at the end of 30 minutes….
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Then baste again at minute 40 and put it back in for the last 10 minutes to caramelize the surface.
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Side with fresh cilantro/coriander, leave it in if you like (it’s just for looks), then serve using the cooking juices as a dip!
What to serve with Thai turmeric chicken
Serve it with a pile of steaming jasmine or coconut rice and simple pieces of cucumber and tomato, something you commonly see served as a vegetable side throughout Thailand. The cool crunch of the cucumber and juiciness of the tomato are a nice contrast to the sweet-savory meatiness of the chicken, with the added bonus of not having to worry about seasoning. I’m not going to argue about it!
However, if you’re a better person than me and would like to put more effort into your side salad, you could dress any fresh or steamed veggies with Asian Sesame Dressing (for a quick option). For a heartier side salad, try Thai Chicken Salad without the chicken, or Thai Beef Salad without the beef (I love the dressing on these salads).
And here are some other options for things to serve on the side:
Tips for sides
Or eat it street food style: pick up the chicken with your hands and munch on it on the go. You know I did! (Although the vision is slightly different: in my home kitchen with my scruffy apron, rather than in the crowded streets of Thailand.😂)
– Nagi x
See how to do it
Let’s go back to the old fashioned hands only video for this one! I no longer had time to make the new style with me and Dozer. 🙂
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Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin)
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooked: 50 minutes
Marinade: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 50 minutes
BBQ/grill, dinner
Thai
Portions5
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Instructions
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Marinated chicken – Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
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Preheat oven at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
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Prepare – Line a baking tray with baking paper/baking paper. Place the chicken on the baking sheet, skin side up. Scrape all the marinade from the bowl and dab it onto the chicken.
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Baking for 40 minutes, baste at the 30-minute and 40-minute mark using the juices from the pan to make it golden and gooey, and rotate the pan as needed to get an even color.
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Increase the oven temperature at 200°C/390°F (180°C with forced ventilation). Place the chicken back in for the final 10 minutes to caramelize the skin.
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Rest for 3 minutes before serving with jasmine or coconut rice and simple tomato and cucumber pieces the Thai way!
Notes on the recipe:
Best is boneless thighs, then the back is the fillet and breast (it is recommended to add 1 tablespoon of oil to the marinade). Use approximately 750g/1.5lb for each of these cuts.
2. Cooking methods – This recipe can be cooked on the barbecue, on the stove or in the oven. Be careful on the stove and barbecue as the sugar burns, so use medium heat.
- Heater – Heat a pan over medium heat. Place the meat skin side down and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Then turn and cover again with a lid. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through, basting the skin with any remaining marinade in the bowl.
- barbecue – use a medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes in total, basting the skin with the marinade in the bowl).
- Other cuts:
– Chopsticks: cook 50 minutes.
– Skinless and boneless thighs: cook in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or on the stove/barbecue for 5 minutes on each side at medium temperature.
– Breast: cook in the oven for 20 minutes or on the stove/barbecue for about 5 minutes on each side at medium temperature.
3. Source of the recipe: Slightly adapted from this Turmeric chicken recipe from Real Thai recipes.
Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings. This does not take into account the fat that is lost during cooking.
Nutritional information:
Serving: 260GCalories: 505cal (25%)Carbohydrates: 15G (5%)Protein: 34G (68%)Fat: 34G (52%)Saturated fats: 9G (56%)Polyunsaturated fats: 7GMonounsaturated fat: 14GTrans fats: 0.2GCholesterol: 200mg (67%)Sodium: 972mg (42%)Potassium: 504mg (14%)Fiber: 0.5G (2%)Sugar: 11G (12%)Vitamin A: 160UI (3%)C vitamin: 1mg (1%)Soccer: 39mg (4%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Originally published November 2015. Updated with shiny new photos, added a recipe video, and best of all, added the Life of Dozer section!
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