Ingredients
- 3 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro stems
- 2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner part minced
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar, grated
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method
- Pound the garlic, cilantro stems, lemongrass, coriander seeds and white pepper into a rough paste in a mortar, or pulse in a small food processor.
- Stir in the fish sauce, palm sugar and oil until the sugar dissolves.
- Rub the paste all over the chicken, under the skin where you can, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Heat a grill to medium and set up a cooler zone. Grill the chicken skin side down, turning and moving it to the cooler side if it flares, for 25 to 35 minutes.
- The chicken is done when the thickest piece reads 165°F near the bone. Rest it for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve with sticky rice, a green papaya salad and a smoky chili dipping sauce.
For catering, bake the marinated chicken at 400°F until it reaches 165°F, then finish it on a hot grill for char.