Hailing from southern Thailand, Thai Tumeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin) is lip-smackingly delicious street food that’s sweet, sticky and savoury. The marinade is unbelievably simple: garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric powder and sugar. The turmeric really makes it!
Southern Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin)
This is a great one to marinade tonight and bake tomorrow, to bring authentic Thai flavours to your dinner table! It’s sweet but has layers of savoury, and is incredibly delicious for something so simple.
With the excellent street food in Thailand, it will come to no surprise that I found this during my travels. It’s a street food that hails from the south called Gai Yang Khamin, and is one of those recipes that tastes like it has way more ingredients in it than it does.
At the time I tried it, I didn’t know what it was called, though the mystery was solved through furious Googling for “yellow Thai grilled chicken” in my determination to replicate it back at home.
Street vendors grill this over smokey coals and use butterflied whole chicken. I bake it in the oven and use chicken thighs instead to make it Monday-night-friendly. This does not, however, compromise flavour – it is still ridiculously delicious!
Ingredients in Thai Turmeric Chicken
This is one of those recipes that tastes like it’s got way more ingredients in it that it does. I get a secret thrill out of finding recipes like this!!
For the juiciest, stickiest chicken with the best glaze, bone-in thighs are best. But I’ve provided directions for breast and other cuts.
Chicken – As noted above, skin-on, bone-in thighs are best because the time it takes for the skin to go sticky and golden is the same time it takes for the inside to cook through to juicy perfection. Leaner, boneless cuts, like breast and boneless thigh, cook through faster, before the surface has a chance to caramelise. However, I’ve provided directions for these – and you could always pan fry instead! Drumsticks are also an excellent, economical option – these work perfectly as a direct substitute.
Turmeric powder – Key flavour and colour for this dish. This is what makes this Thai Turmeric chicken!!
Fish sauce – Secret ingredient! Adds salt with extra layers of flavour so this otherwise simple marinade isn’t bland.
Oyster sauce – Second secret ingredient! Adds sweetness with savoury undertones.
Sugar – For extra sweetness.
Garlic – Quite a decent wack!
Pepper – I like the flavour white pepper brings to this but you can substitute with black pepper.
How to make Thai Turmeric Chicken
Pop this in the marinade tonight then bake it tomorrow! Marinade for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Then bake and baste until golden and sticky (45 minutes).
Mix the marinade in a bowl – garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and turmeric.
Marinade the chicken for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Bake on a lined tray for 50 minutes until the surface is sticky and delicious.
Baste using the tray juices at the 30 minute mark….
Then baste again at the 40 minute mark and pop it back in for a final 10 minutes to caramelise the surface.
Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro leave if you want (it’s just for looks), then serve using the pan juices as a sauce!
What to serve with Thai Turmeric Chicken
Serve this with a pile of steaming jasmine or coconut rice and plain chunks of cucumber and tomato, something you commonly see served as a vegetable side all over Thailand. The fresh crunch of cucumber and juiciness of tomato is a nice contrast to the sweet-savoury-meatiness of the chicken, with the added bonus that you don’t have to bother with a dressing. I’m not going to argue with that!
Though, if you are a better person than me and would like to make more of an effort for your side salad, you could toss any fresh or steamed greens with Asian Sesame Dressing (for a quick option). For a more substantial side salad, try Thai Chicken Salad minus the chicken, or Thai Beef Salad minus the beef (I love the dressing of these salads).
And here are some more options for things to serve on the side:
Suggestions for sides
Or, eat it street food style – just grab the chicken with your hands and munch it on the go. You know I did! (Though the vision is slightly different – in my kitchen at home in my scruffy apron, rather than the bustling streets of Thailand.😂)
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Back to the old-style hands only video for this one! Ran out of time to do the new style with me and Dozer in it. 🙂
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Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin)
Ingredients
- 5 large chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in (~1.2kg/2.4lb) (Note 1)
Marinade
- 4 garlic cloves , finely minced or crushed using garlic press
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp white pepper , ground (sub black)
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (tightly packed cup)
Instructions
- Marinade chicken – Mix Marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinade for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
- Prepare – Line a tray with baking paper/parchment paper. Place chicken on the tray, skin side up. Scrape all Marinade out of th bowl and dab onto chicken.
- Bake for 40 minutes, basting at the 30 minute and 40 minute mark using the tray juices to make it golden brown and sticky, and rotate the tray as needed for even colour.
- Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced). Pop the chicken back in for a final 10 minutes to caramelise the skin.
- Rest for 3 minutes before serving with jasmine or coconut rice, and plain chunks of tomato and cucumber the Thai way!
Recipe Notes:
- Stove – Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place skin side down and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes or until the skin is dark golden. Then turn and cover with a lid again. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through, basting the skin with the residual marinade in the bowl.
- BBQ – use medium heat and cook for around 15 minutes in total, basting the skin with the marinade in the bowl).
- Other cuts:
– Drumsticks: Bake 50 minutes.
– Skinless boneless thighs: Bake 20 – 25 minutes, or stove/BBQ for 5 minutes each side on medium.
– Breast: Bake for 20 minutes, or stove/BBQ for around 5 minutes on each side on medium.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published November 2015. Updated with sparkling new photos with a recipe video added and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
When Dozer sings.
(Aka annoying, persistent bark that he quickly realised is a highly effective way to get me to play with him, on command. #sucker)
This recipe is so easy to make and is totally amazing. My 52 year old son described it as “OFF THE SCALE” and bemoaned the fact that I only served him one thigh! So obviously need to double the quantity next time. Thank you Nagi. By the way I served it with your Green Papaya Salad. Fabulous!
Another winner. I used chicken Marylands cause they were $5 kg. Wow and wow! Served w coconut rice and the family already want it next week
What did we do before Nagi! Another winner. I used chicken Marylands cause they were $5 kg. Wow and wow! Served w coconut rice and the family already want it next week
I cannot find enough superlative words to describe this recipe! This was beyond delicious in every way. Thanks so much for introducing this amazing dish to what will, no doubt, make a regular appearance on our dinner menu! 😀
I just put this in the oven… made it last week as well. Very delicious as all of your recipes I’ve tried, are 🙂
Hi Nagi,
Recipe was so popular with the family that they asked if it would work with chicken wings for snacks.
Easily adapted to use drumettes, baked for 15mins basted and then another 15 mins. Increased oven to 180deg for final 15mins
Thank you for recipes are the best!!
Absolutely delicious and super easy to make. Great midweek meal!
Just made this- cooked it in our air fryer. It was so delicious! Really simple but super tasty.
Hello, I’m just wondering when you cooked it in your air fryer did you have a basket style air fryer with the holes? Or did you use another style of air fryer where you can place the chicken on the tray and air fry it? Thank you so much I’d like to put it in my air fryer, but my one is the basket one with the holes
I have the basket kind too- the instant pot one. Mine has a basket and a tray inside with holes that holds it up off the bottom. I put the chicken on the tray, flipped it partway through cooking, and it came out great. I hope it works for you!
amazing, everyone loved it!!!
Made this last night – I marinated chicken drumsticks (couldn’t get the thighs bone in skin on) and what a delicious dinner. I don’t normally at drumsticks but thought I would give this a try and once again Nagi, you didn’t disappoint. Yum. Definitely on the dinner rotation.
Is there an alternative to using fish sauce? The recipe looks delish, but some family not a fan at all
I think you can replace with soy sauce
Nagi i would like to let you know that your recipes have been staple in my kitchen. It allows me to have healthy delicious meals everyday. I’m not a good cook but with your recipe i feel like a chef! Thank you for creating so many amazing recipes !!!
Nagi San. Thank you for this very tasty dish. It will now become one if our repeat dishes. You are an absolute star.
Hi and lots of cuddles to Dozer.
Take care.
Omg! This is incredible!!! I made jasmine rice and a tomato and cucumber salad ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Made these for Sunday lunch yesterday using boneless, skinless thighs and baked for 20 mins per Nagi’s notes and they were delicious! Very simple and quick to make and oh so tasty!
Loved this so easy had 6 bone in thigh fillets doubled the sauce. Served with coconut rice with pickled red onion and cucumber. Will be on our regular list.
Made this yesterday using 4 thighs – very good, but next time I’ll double the sauce!
Another gem Nagi. I made this with 1kg wing nibbles in the oven, just modifying the cooking time to suit – about 30 minutes with an occasional turn and baste, then a quick blast at 200C to finish. Lovely sweet/sour/salty reminder of southern Thailand. Top dish, in my recipe tin!
Can I leave this to marinate 48 hours?! Put in fridge yesterday for dinner today, but dinner plans changed and can’t cook
It today ! Help! Will it be ok or?!
Thai Turmeric Chicken is a fragrant and flavorful dish that is sure to please your taste buds. The chicken is marinated in a mixture of turmeric, garlic, fish sauce, and oyster sauce, which gives it a deep yellow color and a savory flavor. The chicken is then grilled or roasted until it is cooked through and the skin is crispy.