Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken
Thai basil works well for this marinade too but in summer, if you can find lemon basil, the chicken will taste extra good!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 large bone-in chicken thighs about 2 pounds | 900g total
- 2 large cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ cup lightly packed coarsely chopped lemon basil or Thai basil leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Thai Sweet Chile Sauce homemade or purchased
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Debone the chicken thighs. Use the tip of the knife blade to detach the flesh from the bone. Trim and discard any cartilage. Save the bones for stock, if you like. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
- Make the marinade: In a small food processor or food chopper, grind the garlic, sugar, salt, and white pepper to a coarse texture. Add the basil leaves, fish sauce, and canola oil. Process to a fine texture, pausing the machine to scrape down the sides, as needed. Taste and it should have a strong flavor. Adjust things to satisfy your palate.
- Marinate the chicken: Transfer the marinade to the bowl of chicken. Use your hands to coat the chicken well. Make sure to peel back the skin to get seasonings between the skin and flesh. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.About 30 minutes before grilling, let the chicken sit at room temperature to remove some of the chill. Preheat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-hot fire. (You can also use a stove top grill on medium-high heat.)
- Grill and eat: Grill the chicken for about 12 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let sit for about 5 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips about ½-inch (1.25cm) wide. Arrange on a plate and serve with the sweet chile sauce.
Notes
For homemade Thai sweet chile sauce, use this recipe.
