Thai Grilled Chili-Garlic Chicken

Thai Grilled Chili-Garlic Chicken
Delicious Thai Grilled Chili-Garlic Chicken!. D.Schmidt for About.com
  • 35 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins,
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ratings (6)

By Darlene Schmidt

Updated 04/04/18

This Thai Chili-Garlic Chicken is divinely delicious and the perfect dish for summer grilling. The marinade is a cinch to make but don't let that fool you - the Thai taste is all there and then some. I've actually made this chicken in the oven as well - both grilled and oven-baked are delicious (also good if a sudden rainstorm should drown out your cookout). The best part about the recipe is the ease of preparation and the fact that you will most likely have all you need in your pantry. Regular white vinegar can be substituted for rice vinegar - just make sure you have fish sauce and you're set. Chili flakes or cayenne pepper can be used instead of fresh chili, although fresh chili is always preferable for the health benefits (and I think it tastes better too). Enjoy!

What You'll Need

  • 1/2 lb. chicken pieces (skin on)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for brushing grill)
  • For the Marinade:
  • 1 fresh red chili (minced OR cayenne pepper or crushed chili flakes)
  • 3-4 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
  • 4 Tbsp. honey
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • 1 tsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

How to Make It

  1. Rinse chicken, pat dry, and set in a medium-size bowl. Stir together all marinade ingredients and pour over chicken, being sure to cover all surfaces. Set aside to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
  2. Heat up grill and brush with vegetable oil. Grill chicken, brushing with leftover marinade after the first turning. Also sprinkle with a little more onion powder. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill until fully opaque in the center of each piece.
  1. Serve with my Thai jasmine rice or salad for the ultimate summer grilling dish. See below recipe for a simple Thai condiment you can serve on the side with this chicken. ENJOY!

Chicken Grilling Tips: Chicken can be tricky to grill. If the grill is too hot, it will tend to burn on the outside while still remaining uncooked inside. I've found it best to set your grill to medium heat and grill it slowly. Be sure to cover it between flips so the heat can really get inside. Chicken with bone in it takes far longer to cook, but I've found it tastes better on the grill, as the bone helps hold the juices in.

Simple Side Condiment: In Thailand this chicken would be served with a side condiment of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chili (roughly 3 Tbsp. fish sauce, 2 Tbsp. lime juice, 1-2 tsp. sugar, and chili). Taste-test it for a balance of salty, sweet and spicy flavors according to your taste. Another nice condiment with this chicken is my Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe.

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 329
Total Fat 15 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Unsaturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 47 mg
Sodium 1,630 mg
Carbohydrates 32 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Protein 19 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)