Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin) Recipe
Thai Turmeric Chicken (Gai Yang Khamin) is a flavorful and aromatic baked chicken dish known for its vibrant turmeric marinade combined with garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and a hint of sweetness from brown sugar. This traditional Thai recipe results in tender, juicy chicken thighs with golden, sticky, caramelized skin, perfect served alongside jasmine or coconut rice and fresh vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (including marinating time)
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 5 large chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in (~1.2kg / 2.4lb)
Marinade
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp ground white pepper (can substitute black pepper)
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup tightly packed brown sugar
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: In a large bowl, combine garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, ground turmeric, and brown sugar to create the marinade. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to deeply infuse.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (320°F) if using a fan-forced oven to prepare for baking.
- Prepare baking tray: Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the marinated chicken thighs on the tray skin side up. Be sure to scrape any remaining marinade from the bowl and dab it onto the chicken for extra flavor.
- Bake the chicken: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. At the 30-minute and again at the 40-minute mark, baste the chicken with pan juices to keep the skin sticky and golden brown. Rotate the tray as necessary to ensure even cooking and color.
- Caramelize skin: Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (356°F) fan-forced. Return the chicken to the oven for an additional 10 minutes to caramelize and crisp the skin beautifully.
- Rest and serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes. Serve hot with jasmine or coconut rice and fresh chunks of tomato and cucumber for the authentic Thai dining experience.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
- Use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs for juicier meat and crispier skin.
- White pepper can be substituted with black pepper if unavailable.
- Basting is important to achieve sticky, caramelized skin.
- Serve with simple sides like jasmine rice and fresh vegetables to balance the rich flavors.
Keywords: Thai turmeric chicken, Gai Yang Khamin, baked chicken recipe, turmeric chicken, Thai chicken recipe, oven-baked chicken, caramelized chicken skin
