I used to make Thai BBQ chicken the same way forever, and it required a lot of ingredients and time. While working in tech and universities, I realized I needed a quicker way as we were making Thai BBQ chicken for hundreds of people. Thinking about all the herbs and spices that are in curry paste and curry powder, a lightbulb came on. I didn’t need to individually source galanga, lemongrass, chili, turmeric and all the other ingredients to make Thai BBQ chicken the old way, because all those ingredients were in curry paste and curry powder. So, Thai BBQ chicken V.2.0 was born and here it is!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 5 hr |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- One 3 1/2-pound (1.6-kg) whole chicken
- 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup (84 g) red curry paste (see Cook’s Note)
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (13 g) curry powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Sweet chili sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Split the chicken in half. Poke holes in the chicken using a fork and place it in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
- Make the marinade by combining the remaining ingredients, except the sweet chili sauce, in a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken in the bag. Close the bag and massage well to coat it evenly. Make sure the bag is zipped tight then place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place a rack just below the middle position. Lay the chicken halves skin-side up on a foil-lined sheet pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C) in the fleshy part of the thigh. Pull from the oven and rest for at least 10 minutes. You can cut each half into four pieces and serve immediately, or finish on the grill to get some marks and extra flavor. Always serve with sweet chili sauce!
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 374 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 27 g |
| Cholesterol | 102 mg |
| Sodium | 388 mg |
Reviews
Made this last night with chicken quarters after marinating for 24 hours. The curry powder is strong and is the dominant flavor. I did not char on the grill so my skin was not crispy, but that did not matter. Chicken was juicy and because I added some of the marinade into the dish, it made a nice sauce to put on the rice.
I made this recipe with skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts. I marinated the meat overnight. I will say that the meat is extremely tender. I baked in the oven. Super simple recipe and directions. The chicken has a kick. I would add a bit more salt in the future. But, overall, I was pleased. My chicken did not look like the picture, however. Probably because I didn’t finish on the grill.
I’m looking for the 3 cup chicken wings recipe.
Where does one find a 3 1/2 pound chicken? Not in any of the stores where I shop! Whole chickens start at 4+ pounds and go up to nearly 6.