Want a Top Chef All‑Star’s favorite grilled chicken? Chef Gregory Gourdet’s boldly seasoned grilled chicken with lemongrass, cilantro, and fish sauce is a Thai‑inspired barbecue that brightens summer menus. It’s paleo, low‑carb, and gluten‑free, too.
I love cooking Gregory Gourdet’s recipes at home from his debut cookbook, Everyone’s Table. His bright, bold flavors inspire me to experiment more with fresh herbs, whole spices, and, yes—more fish sauce. These small changes elevate weeknight meals into restaurant‑quality dinners.
Below is Gregory Gourdet’s favorite grilled chicken, adapted for home cooks. The marinade is blitzed in minutes, then the chicken soaks up intensely savory, slightly sweet, and gently spicy flavors. It’s perfect for grilling but works well in the oven if you don’t have a grill.
Ingredients
This recipe’s magic is the quick blend‑and‑go marinade. Use fresh ingredients and whole spices when possible.
- ¾ cup avocado oil
- ½ cup fish sauce
- 5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided (adjust to taste)
- 4 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised, and thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, stems roughly chopped, reserve upper leaves for garnish
- ¼ cup finely chopped palm sugar or coconut sugar (or substitute ⅓ cup apple juice for Whole30)
- ¼ cup whole black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds (whole)
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 6 Thai chiles, stemmed (use fewer or omit if sensitive to heat)
- 4½ pounds bone‑in, skin‑on chicken thighs (or other bone‑in, skin‑on parts)
- 2 tablespoons edible flowers for garnish (optional)
How to make Gregory Gourdet’s Favorite Grilled Chicken
Make the marinade
In a blender combine the avocado oil, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, lemongrass, cilantro stems and lower leaves, palm sugar, black peppercorns, coconut aminos, coriander, garlic, and chiles. Blend until a coarse puree forms, about 2 minutes.
Marinate the chicken
Season the chicken all over with the remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Place the chicken in a large container, pour in the marinade, and toss to coat thoroughly, making sure the marinade reaches every nook and cranny. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
Grill the chicken
Set up the grill with a high‑heat zone and a medium‑heat zone. Remove the chicken from the marinade, give each piece a quick shake, and transfer to a tray. Reserve the leftover marinade and pour it into a small saucepan; bring it to a boil and then turn off the heat—this will be used as a glaze.
Place the chicken, skin‑side down, on the hot area of the grill. Cook uncovered until the skin is charred and crispy, about 4 minutes. Move the pieces to the medium‑heat area (or reduce gas to medium), baste with some of the reserved marinade, and cover the grill.
Cook until thigh meat pulls easily from the bone and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 25–30 minutes. If using breasts, check earlier and remove at 150°F. When the chicken is done, flip it skin‑side down again and cook about 30 seconds to re‑crisp the skin, brushing the remaining marinade on the meat side.
Oven method (if you don’t have a grill)
Preheat the oven to 400°F convection or 425°F conventional with the rack in the middle. Shake off excess marinade and arrange the chicken skin‑side down on a stainless steel wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, rotating the tray and flipping the thighs skin‑side up at the halfway point.
Plate and serve
Transfer the cooked chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and edible flowers, then serve.
What to serve with it
- Grilled carrots with herby coconut yogurt
- Smashed cucumber and carrot salad
- Red cabbage slaw with tangy carrot‑ginger dressing
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
PRINTER‑FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Gregory Gourdet’s Favorite Grilled Chicken
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 45 mins • Marinating: 12 hrs • Total: 12 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 8
Author: Michelle Tam
Ingredients
- ¾ cup avocado oil
- ½ cup fish sauce
- 5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
- 4 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised, thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch cilantro, stems chopped (reserve leaves for garnish)
- ¼ cup finely chopped palm sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup whole black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 6 Thai chiles, stemmed (optional)
- 4½ pounds bone‑in, skin‑on chicken parts
- 2 tablespoons edible flowers, optional
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Blend avocado oil, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, lemongrass, cilantro stems and lower leaves, palm sugar, peppercorns, coconut aminos, coriander, garlic, and chiles to a coarse puree (about 2 minutes).
- Season chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons salt, toss with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate 12 hours to 3 days.
Grill the chicken
- Prepare grill with a hot zone and medium zone. Reserve excess marinade and bring it to a boil in a small saucepan, then turn off the heat.
- Grill chicken skin‑side down on the hot zone until charred and crisp, about 4 minutes. Move to medium heat, baste with reserved marinade, and cover the grill.
- Cook thighs until meat pulls from the bone and internal temperature reaches 165°F (25–30 minutes). For breasts, cook to 150°F.
- Flip back skin‑side down, cook 30 seconds to re‑crisp, brush remaining marinade on the meat side, then rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and edible flowers.
Notes
Leftovers keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. For oven cooking, roast at 400°F convection (425°F conventional) for 45 minutes on a wire rack, flipping at the halfway point.
Nutrition (approx. per serving)
Calories: 705 kcal | Carbs: 13 g | Protein: 43 g | Fat: 54 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 3 g