This braised chicken recipe comes from Jennifer Brennan’s wonderful The Original Thai Cookbook, 1981, one of the pioneering English-language books that introduced authentic Thai cooking to Western home cooks. Brennan describes first discovering Gai Tung after an afternoon wandering Bangkok’s bustling Sam Peng market, where a simple neighborhood restaurant served her a fragrant braised chicken over rice that became one of her most memorable meals. After making this recipe for years, I understand exactly why it left such an impression.
Brennan spells the Thai name “Gai Tung.” Today it is more commonly transliterated as gai tun (ไก่ตุ๋น), literally meaning braised or stewed chicken.
A few modern updates:
I’ve updated a few ingredient suggestions to reflect what’s readily available today—such as offering fresh galangal, fresh lemongrass, and cilantro stems as alternatives—but the heart of Brennan’s wonderful recipe remains unchanged.
I’ve probably cooked this dish more than any other recipe from the book. The combination of garlic, lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, shrimp paste and cinnamon doesn’t sound obvious on paper, but together they create one of the most comforting chicken dishes I’ve ever made. The chicken slowly braises until it’s almost falling from the bone, while the fragrant sauce begs to be spooned over steamed jasmine rice.
Top Tip: If you can find fresh coriander (cilantro) roots, use them. They have an earthy, aromatic flavor that’s difficult to duplicate with the leaves alone and are a classic ingredient in many traditional Thai curry pastes. If they’re unavailable, the lower stems of the cilantro are the closest substitute.
Ready to try some other Thai dishes?
Gai Yang-Marinated Grilled Chicken- Thai Street Food
Thai Ginger Chicken- Gai Pad King
Gai Larb- The Classic Thai Chicken Salad
Gai Pad Prik – Thai Chicken with Chilies
Exploring Thai Curries: Where Do I Start?
Essential Ingredients for Authentic Chinese and Thai Cooking
Thai Chicken with Basil/ Gai Pad Prik Grapao- Top Thai Dish
Thai Shrimp and Basil- Stir Fry, Phuket Style
Thai Spicy Chicken Curry, Khua Kling Gai -A Southern Thai Classic
And of course, My Favorite Recipes
Ingredients:
2 lbs Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks, skin on, bone in.
5 fresh or dried Red Chillies, chopped
5 small/medium Shallots, chopped
1 tsp Shrimp Paste (Kapi)
1 stalk Lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, using only the tender white inner portion, chopped
5 cloves Garlic
5 Coriander/Cilantro roots or 10 stems, chopped
1/2 tsp Salt
2-inch piece fresh galangal, peeled and minced, or 1 tsp galangal powder
1 Cinnamon stick
5 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 cup Water
1 tsp Tamarind Concentrate or 2 Tbsp Tamarind Pulp dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
Preparation:
Place the chilies, shallots, shrimp paste, lemongrass, garlic, coriander roots, salt, galangal powder or fresh galangal into a food processor. Blend until the mixture forms a coarse aromatic paste. If the mixture seems a little dry, scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times until everything is well incorporated.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spice paste and your cinnamon stick and cook slowly, stirring continuously, for several minutes. The goal is not simply to fry it, but to allow the raw garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste to mellow while the aromatics become fragrant. The paste should take on a light golden color without burning.
Add the chicken pieces and turn them in the paste until every piece is well coated.
Pour in the water and bring everything to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover, and cook for about 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender.
Uncover the pan and stir in the dissolved tamarind concentrate and fish sauce. Continue cooking uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and the flavors to concentrate.
Taste the sauce before serving. Depending on the saltiness of your fish sauce, you may wish to add a pinch of salt. I’ve almost never found it necessary to add additional salt, but every brand of fish sauce is a little different, so taste before serving.
The finished chicken should be exceptionally tender—almost falling from the bone—with a wonderful sauce that’s perfect spooned over steamed jasmine rice.
This recipe is part of the Pasadena Chef Cooking School, learn fundamentals and new techniques, The Pasadena Chef Cooking School
Gai Tung – Thai Braised Chicken with Aromatic Spices
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the chilies, shallots, shrimp paste, lemongrass, garlic, coriander roots, salt, galangal powder or fresh galangal into a food processor. Blend until the mixture forms a coarse aromatic paste. If the mixture seems a little dry, scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times until everything is well incorporated.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spice paste and your cinnamon stick and cook slowly, stirring continuously, for several minutes. The goal is not simply to fry it, but to allow the raw garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste to mellow while the aromatics become fragrant. The paste should take on a light golden color without burning.
- Add the chicken pieces and turn them in the paste until every piece is well coated.Pour in the water and bring everything to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover, and cook for about 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender.
- Uncover the pan and stir in the dissolved tamarind concentrate and fish sauce. Continue cooking uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and the flavors to concentrate.