(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...A fragrant, lightly sweet and peppery charcoal-grilled chicken from northeastern Thailand, marinated in fish sauce, palm sugar, white pepper, and cilantro roots. Served traditionally with sticky rice and a smoky toasted-rice dipping sauce, this is the soul of Isaan street-side grilling.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time60 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 26 gFat
- 7 gSaturated Fat
- 18 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 6 gSugar
- 44 gProtein
- 1480 mgSodium
- 620 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 3 mgIron
- 14 mgVitamin C
- 110 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the marinade and chicken
- 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lb), butterflied and backbone removed
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1.5 tbsp whole white peppercorns
- 3 cilantro roots, scrubbed (or 1/3 cup cilantro stems)
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the toasted rice dipping sauce (Nam Jim Jaew)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp palm sugar, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp toasted rice powder (khao khua)
- 1.5 tbsp Thai chili flakes
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced shallot
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
For serving
- 4 cups cooked sticky rice
- 1/2 small green cabbage, cut into wedges
- 1 cucumber, sliced into sticks
- Fresh cilantro sprigs
Directions
- In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the white peppercorns for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then grind with the garlic, cilantro roots, and salt into a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.
- Whisk the pepper-garlic paste with fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, turmeric, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Pat the chicken dry, score the skin lightly, and rub the marinade thoroughly over and under the skin. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 8 hours.
- Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking, banking hot coals on one side. If using a gas grill, set one side to high and the other to low. Scrape and oil the grates well.
- Place the chicken skin-side down over the hot side and grill for 4-5 minutes until the skin is deeply charred and releases easily. Flip and move to the cooler side, bone-side down.
- Cover the grill (or tent loosely with foil) and cook, turning occasionally, for 25-30 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest thigh reads 165°F (74°C). Move back over the hot side for the final 2 minutes to crisp the skin.
- Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: whisk fish sauce, lime juice, dissolved palm sugar, toasted rice powder, chili flakes, shallot, and cilantro in a small bowl. Let sit 10 minutes for flavors to meld.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest 8-10 minutes. Carve into pieces through the bone, or chop into bite-size portions with a cleaver.
- Arrange the chicken on a platter with sticky rice, cabbage wedges, and cucumber. Pass the dipping sauce alongside for spooning over the meat.
- Eat by tearing chicken with the hands, dipping into the sauce, and balancing each bite with sticky rice and a fresh crunch of cabbage or cucumber.
Cook’s Notes
- Toasting the white peppercorns is essential for that signature Isaan aroma; black pepper makes a decent substitute but changes the flavor profile.
- A butterflied chicken cooks more evenly and faster than a trussed one; if your grill is small, cut the bird into halves or quarters.
- Make toasted rice powder by dry-toasting 2 tbsp of sticky rice in a skillet until deep golden, then grinding to a coarse powder.
- For authentic flavor, source cilantro roots from an Asian market; the stems are a workable stand-in but milder.
- Marinate overnight in the refrigerator for the most deeply seasoned meat, and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling for even cooking.
