Thai-Style Grilled Chicken

Total Time
26 min
6 min
20 min
It’s the coconut milk in the marinade that does the trick, making this chicken particularly succulent and rich in flavor.


light unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup(s)


2 Tbsp, fresh, chopped

fish sauce

2 Tbsp, (nam pla)

garlic clove(s)

2 medium clove(s), crushed through a press (or to taste)

black pepper

½ tsp, freshly ground

uncooked skinless boneless chicken drumstick(s)

2 pound(s), 4 (1⁄2-pound) or whole legs


  1. Combine the coconut milk, cilantro, fish sauce, garlic, and pepper in a zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
  3. Transfer the chicken from the bag to the grill rack; discard all but 1⁄4 cup of the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat, 10 minutes. Baste with the reserved marinade. Turn the chicken and grill or broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 180°F, about 10 minutes longer. Yields 1 leg per serving.


Be sure not to confuse light coconut milk with cream of coconut, which is used primarily for beverages and desserts and has much higher calorie content.

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