Lao Style Grilled Chicken (Ping Gai) Recipe

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About Lao Style Grilled Chicken

The secret to the perfect marinade is the herb paste which consists of lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and turmeric. This dish can be cooked in the oven or deep fried in vegetable oil, but it’s best on a BBQ grill. Grilled chicken is a standard staple meal in every Laotian and Isan (Northern Thailand) household and it can be found on most street markets in Laos and Thailand. Grilled chicken is best paired with sticky rice and green papaya salad. 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 5 pounds of whole chicken (you may use parts of chicken, pork, or beef)
• 1 tbsp. of fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. of oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp. of sriracha sauce
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbsp. of fresh turmeric (sliced)
• 3 tbsp. of fresh ginger (sliced)
• 1 stalk of lemongrass (sliced)
• 1tsp. of salt

Instructions

1. Use a mini food processor to prepare your herb paste marinade. Add lemongrass, garlic cloves, turmeric, and ginger. Grind well into a smooth paste.
2. Marinate the chicken with the herb paste, fish sauce, salt, oyster sauce, and sriracha sauce.
3. Let it sit for 30 minutes or longer before grilling.
4. Grill your marinated chicken between 8 to 12 minutes on each side, depending on heat and thickness of meat. Total cooking time is between 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Enjoy with sticky rice and papaya salad.