Thai Chicken Recipe | Happy Healthy Eating

These are sweet and delicious Thai chicken thighs Marinated in honey-soy sauce, grilled to perfection and topped with fresh cilantro and crunchy cashews. This is an easy weeknight meal that's sure to be a crowd favorite.

Why You’ll Love This Thai Chicken Recipe

This Garlic Thai Chicken will be the reason you stop eating takeout from now on.

• Asian style. Sesame oil, tangy rice wine vinegar, and spicy ginger give this dish an Asian flavor.
• Better than delivery. Using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts means more juiciness and flavor.
• Suitable for beginners. You just stir in the marinade, mix everything, and grill.
• Sweet and salty. The lime juice adds flavor, the honey adds sweetness, and the soy sauce sauce adds deliciousness.

what do you need

Soy sauce, honey, and tangy rice wine vinegar create a delicious sweet and savory marinade for the chicken. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient quantities.

• Chicken Thighs – Make sure they are boneless and skinless. Chicken breasts also work.
• fresh lime juice – Feel free to use lemon juice.
• chili sauce – You can use Thai or Korean chili sauce.
• Honey – Raw honey or agave nectar is best. Maple syrup also works but adds a smoky flavor.
• toasted sesame oil – Peanut oil is a great substitute.
• rice wine vinegar – If you have some on hand, make some sake.
• Soy sauce—— You can use low sodium soy sauce instead.
• olive oil – Vegetable, corn, and canola oils are also effective.
• fresh ginger – Season with dried ginger, but don't add more than 1/4 teaspoon.
• garlic – Fresh garlic or minced garlic is best.
• fresh cilantro – Avoid cilantro with yellow leaves as it will taste bitter.
• Clove powder – Do not use whole cloves as the smell will be strong.
• Black pepper – I prefer fresh black pepper.
• cashew – These are optional decorations.

How to Make Thai Grilled Chicken Thighs

The homemade marinade sets this easy Thai chicken recipe apart from other recipes. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card.

• Prepare marinade. Combine lime juice, chili sauce, honey, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, ginger, garlic, cilantro, ground cloves, and black pepper in a bowl and stir until smooth.

• Marinate it. Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour in half of the marinade. Seal bag and shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Set remaining mixture aside.
• Grilled chicken. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink. Remove from grill and brush with remaining marinade.
• Serve. Garnish with cilantro and chopped cashews. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips and variations

Turning this easy Thai grilled chicken into bell pepper skewers will give you another dinner option for the week.

• Swap cuts. If you don’t want to use chicken thighs, you can use chicken legs, wings, or breasts. They should also be boneless and skinless.
• Use the stove. If you don't want to light up the grill, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook 5-6 minutes per side or until no longer pink.
• Make skewers. Cut chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Marinate as usual. String chicken alternately with green peppers or red onions. Cook until no longer pink.
• Use store bought. When you're in a hurry, swap out the homemade marinade for store-bought Thai peanut marinade. If it's too sweet, add soy sauce a tablespoon at a time until it tastes palatable. Use it to marinate chicken.
• Make it spicy. When ready, add 1/2 tablespoon extra chili sauce to the marinade or drizzle chili oil over cooked chicken.

What to serve with Thai chicken thighs

This Grilled Thai Chicken is the perfect Asian-inspired dinner when you want to take it out. Serve it up Jasmine rice or Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice. If you like noodles, you can try mine Asian Noodle Salad. Side options include mine Asian Cucumber Salad, Fresh summer rollsor Asian Brussels Sprouts. Want something warm and thick, prepare mine Vegetable Thai Noodle Soup.

Store correctly

While cooling, always keep leftovers away from direct heat and sunlight.

• refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If it tastes bitter or sour, discard immediately.
• refrigerator: Spread the chicken legs on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or microwave on the “defrost” setting.
• To reheat: Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon water and microwave in 20 second increments until hot. You can also use a frying pan (covered) and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes on each side.

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