Thai Barbecued Chicken
Submitted by Seubs070
Thai barbecued chicken brushes a hoisin, ketchup, molasses and chili-paste glaze onto poached chicken then finishes on the grill for sticky charred edges. The technique that prevents burnt sauce.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minThis is a Thai-American barbecue chicken that solves the classic grilling problem: sticky sauces with sugar burn before the chicken cooks through. The technique here precooks the chicken in the microwave or by gentle poaching, then finishes on the grill where the sauce caramelizes without going charcoal.
The sauce balance is what makes this dish unmistakably Thai. Hoisin sauce contributes its sweet-salty-savory complexity. Ketchup adds tomato tang and binding. Molasses brings the dark molasses depth that hoisin lacks. Thai chili paste with garlic delivers the heat and umami.
The precook step is forgiving and crucial. Microwave at high for 8 to 10 minutes, or simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes. The chicken needs to be cooked through to the bone, with juices running clear. Anything less and the grilling time won’t be enough to finish it safely.
Grill just 5 minutes per side at medium-high. Long enough to glaze and char-mark the surface, short enough to prevent burning the sauce. Brush with more sauce frequently during this final stage. The repeated layers build that lacquered sticky finish that defines great barbecue.
Use bone-in chicken pieces or boneless thighs. Boneless breasts work but tend to dry out during the two-stage cook. Thighs are forgiving and stay juicy.
Let rest 5 minutes off the grill before serving. The hot sauce continues to set and the juices redistribute through the meat.
Chef Tips
- Make extra sauce and reserve some never touched by raw chicken for table dipping.
- Use hoisin sauce from a good Asian grocery, not the generic mass-market brands which taste flat.
- For more authentic Thai flavor, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the glaze, the funky umami transforms it.
- If grilling indoor on a stovetop pan, finish briefly under the broiler for char marks and stickiness.
Variations
- Add 1 tablespoon of grated ginger and a clove of minced garlic to the sauce for more layers of aromatic flavor.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime to the reserved dipping sauce.
- Increase the Thai chili paste to 1 tablespoon for serious heat lovers.
Ingredients
Directions
Precooking the chicken in the microwave or gently poaching it on the stovetop before finishing it on the grill ensures that the meat is cooked through but the sauce is not charred. If you like a hotter sauce, increase the amount of chili paste.
Arrange chicken pieces in a micro-proof dish, with the thickest parts toward the outside of the dish.
Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH (100%) 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender, turning pieces twice.
Alternatively, in a wide sauce-pan, cover chicken with cold water and bring to a simmer, skimming off any froth.
Simmer gently until chicken is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the grill or preheat the broiler.
In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients.
With tongs, remove the chicken from the dish or sauce pan and brush both sides generously with barbecue sauce.
Grill over medium-high heat or broil, basting with the barbecue sauce often, until the chicken is glazed on the outside and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes on each side.
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