Kai Yang

Adapted by Alexa Weibel

Published May 17, 2024

Total Time: About 1½ hours, plus overnight marinating
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: About 1 ¼ hours, plus overnight marinating
Rating: 4(38)
Notes: Read community notes

There’s hardly a definitive recipe for any dish, and certainly not kai yang, which is sometimes referred to as Thai barbecue chicken. Variations abound, but you’ll always find salty notes (often from fish sauce, soy sauce or Thai seasoning); sweet notes (from palm sugar or coconut milk); and a range of accents like lemongrass, garlic and galangal or ginger. This recipe is adapted from Sheree Sarabhaya, the chef and owner of Kai Yang restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey. She refrigerates whole chickens in a fragrant, salty marinade with turmeric, ginger, lemongrass and cilantro for 24 hours, then roasts them in a rotisserie oven, allowing the scent to permeate the dining room. You can achieve spectacular results at home by basting the chicken as it cooks, encouraging it to soak up the seasoning. Traditionally served with green papaya salad and sticky rice, this chicken can also be used as a substitute for standard rotisserie chicken to liven up soups, sandwiches and salads. —Alexa Weibel

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1packed cup fresh cilantro leaves (about 1 ounce)
½cup oyster sauce
⅓cup Thai seasoning sauce (such as Golden Mountain); see Tip
3tablespoons fish sauce
2tablespoons soy sauce (preferably Thai black soy sauce like Kwong Hung Seng)
2tablespoons ground turmeric
1½tablespoons sugar
4teaspoons finely ground black pepper
2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
¼ cup/1 ounce minced lemongrass (from about 3 trimmed stems; see Tip)
1thick, large (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and sliced (no need to peel)
1small whole chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Prepare the marinade: To a blender, add the cilantro, oyster sauce, seasoning sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, turmeric, sugar, pepper and salt. Blend until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Add the lemongrass and ginger and purée until smooth, about 30 seconds more. (The marinade makes about 2 cups, which is double the amount that you’ll need. Freeze 1 cup for a future chicken.)
Step 2
Pat the chicken dry, then set it in a rimmed sheet pan. (If you’ve got disposable gloves handy, now is the time to use them!) Add about ¼ cup marinade to the chicken’s cavity and massage to distribute it. Flip the chicken breast side down, then drizzle with about ¼ cup marinade and rub to distribute. Finally, flip the chicken breast-side up and drizzle all exposed chicken with the remaining ½ cup marinade, allowing it to pool on top. (There is no need to massage it at this point; you want a thick coat.) Refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, for 24 hours. (The liquid will pool over time. That’s OK. No need to pour it over the chicken again.)
Step 3
Transfer the marinated chicken to an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, allowing any excess marinade to drip off first, and set the chicken breast side up. (Discard any liquid left on the original sheet pan.)
Step 4
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roast the chicken until the juices run clear (not pink) when the meat is pierced with a knife, 60 to 75 minutes. Starting at 40 minutes, baste the chicken with its juices every 10 minutes by carefully tipping the sheet pan so the juices collect in the corner, then spooning them over the chicken.
Step 5
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces, then serve.

Tips

Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce (also known as Thai seasoning) is made with fermented soybeans and tastes like a punchier, sweeter soy sauce. It can be purchased in Asian supermarkets or online and lasts indefinitely. A dash of it adds complexity to stir-fries, curries, fried rice and cooked proteins and vegetables.
To mince fresh lemongrass, first slice off the very bottom of the stalk, peel any discolored outer layers and mince the bottom couple of inches of the remaining stalk, where the flavor is concentrated. (You can use the remaining lemongrass for soups or stocks.)

Ratings

4 out of 5

38 user ratings

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Tracey1 month ago

This is my third time making this in as many weeks. These are the changes I've made. I use the Thai Blend in a tube from the refrigerated section in the produce aisle. I also use the recommended Thai Seasoning instead of soy sauce & sweeten the marinade to taste. Throw the chicken into a reusable plastic bag with the marinade. Leave it in the fridge for two days and spatchcock before cooking at 425. It's impossibly delicious!

TF1 month ago

VERY salty. I left out the added salt but with oyster sauce, fish sauce, and Thai Golden seasoning, I think you could also skip the soy sauce. Needs acid and sweetness to balance the saltiness of the marinade—maybe add lime juice?

Chef Egon1 month ago

I agree that it was a sodium bomb and also left out the added salt. It was tasty but not sure it was worth the effort (I think I prefer a simple roasted chicken seasoned with fennel salt). I froze away the extra sauce to make again at some point when I want a change in pace

Kathryn1 month ago

Delicious recipe. Used this on boneless skinless chicken breasts (10+ oz each), cut crosswise. Grilled on indirect side of the grill for 20 minutes. Served with a Thai peanut sauce from another recipe and a raman noodle salad made with coleslaw mix. Such a good dinner. Lots of flavors banging around there.

Michael Peterson1 month ago

Prepared according to recipe (for a change) and the flavors were intense and powerful. If I make it again, I'll cut the ginger in 1/2.

coffeespoon1 month ago

Amazing recipe! Used a blender for the marinade. I was a little doubtful about pouring the marinade on top and leaving it in the fridge but it dries up and I think ultimately acts as a dry brine. I followed the recipe exactly including the basting. The flavor penetrated into the meat and incredibly delicious! Highly recommend.

Jeanne1 month ago

This was the BEST chicken recipe I have ever made! I have a rotisserie and an oven, but not a rotisserie oven, so I cooked outside on a Weber. I cut out the backbone of the chicken and divided into two big pieces, each with a breast/leg/thigh combo. I used a food-processor to puree marinade. Used all of marinade in two separate bags and refrigerated for ten hours. Cooked over direct heat, skin side down; turned; cooked over direct heat backside. Moved to indirect heat to finish. AMAZING!

Patrick1 month ago

The introduction and the menu at the original restaurant mention garlic. Was it left out in the recipe?

Behr1 month ago

I'm doubtful of this recipe as I know from experience that blending fibrous items like fresh ginger and lemon glass always produces an unpalatable paste of tiny, hairy fibers that would end up ruining the dish. Perhaps my blender is not that good? Also, seems like cutting the chicken up into individual pieces would allow for much better penetration by the marinade, unless presentation outweighs taste. Lastly, I would probably braise the pieces in some diluted marinade to keep them moist.

Chef Egon1 month ago

I had no problem blending the ginger and lemon grass. The marinade penetrated the whole chicken just fine. It was very juicy.

Colin1 month ago

Could you spatchcock the chicken and do this on the barbecue?

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