Make Crispy Oven-Fried or Oven-Baked Sweet Thai Chicken saturated in sticky Sweet Heat Thai Chili Sauce. Serve with more sauce on the side. These Chicken Quarters are oven-fried or oven-baked and then glazed with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, much like a BBQ Chicken, Thai Style.
This is different from your Gai Yang (Thai BBQ Chicken). Instead, we use an already made Thai Sweet Chili Sauce for Chicken. It makes for an incredible Thai BBQ Chicken, served with Adobo Sazon Rice or other choice Rice and a small dipping bowl of that Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. Add some Vegetables for a fresh accompaniment.
Sweet Thai Chicken Ingredients
Chicken Quarters, Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, Neutral Oil, Salt & Pepper.
Chicken
With Chicken Quarters, trim and clean out any internal organs lodge in the backbone if present, and optionally chop top separate the Thigh from the Leg and/or score the Chicken. Check out our post on How to Prepare Chicken, which has a section on how to handle Chicken Quarters. Once prepped, Salt & Pepper the Chicken to your liking.
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce Chicken
Baste with the sauce towards the end of cooking. The goal is to dry out the Chicken first so it can soak up the sauce more readily when applied. Pour about 1 C of Sweet Thai Chili Sauce into a bowl. Once the Chicken finishes oven frying, or during the last 10 minutes, drain any excess fat, baste the Chicken a few times, and cook for another 10 minutes, flipping it over halfway through.
Salt & Pepper Blend
This Salt & Pepper Blend is used to season the Chicken. Combine the ingredients together and sprinkle over the Chicken to season it. White Pepper can be replaced with Black Pepper for just a Salt & Black Pepper blend. Add Cayenne Pepper based on preference for more heat.
Salt & Pepper Ingredients
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
How to make Sweet Thai Chicken
Salt & Pepper the Chicken to your liking before placing into a roasting pan with 1/2 C Oil, or enough oil to coat the bottom. Into a preheated oven at 425F to cook for 30 minutes. Then flip to cook another 20 minutes. Strain out any excess oil and baste with Sauce. Repeat basting the Chicken for about 10 minutes, a total cook time of 1 hour.
Prep the Chicken
Clean out the internal organs and trim the Chicken before proceeding. Score the Chicken to allow the sauce later on to seep in. Place into a pan large enough to fit the Chicken, with enough Oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Oven Fry
Season the Chicken with Salt & Pepper Blend. Flip the Chicken, presentation side down, and season. Into a preheated oven at 425 F for 30 minutes. Flip over and cook another 20 minutes. Strain out any excess fat.
Baste
Baste the Chicken with Sauce and flip over to baste the other side. Cook for 3–5 minutes. Baste and flip to cook another 3–5 minutes. Optionally baste again when coming out of the oven.
Oven Baked Sweet Thai Chicken
The idea behind an Oven Fried Sweet Thai Chicken is to fry the Chicken in Fat to crisp it and overcook a bit. This helps it absorb the sauce more easily when you baste it.
If you want the Chicken Oven Baked instead of Oven Fried. Cook the Chicken at 375F for 45 minutes. Then baste, cook and repeat for an additional 10–15 minutes. Remove and let rest. This option also allows you to cover the pan with tinfoil for easier cleanup, since you are not using any Oil to Oven fry the Chicken.
Equipment
- 1 Roasting Pan
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Small Bowl & Brush for glazing
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Quarters - Cleaned and Trimmed
- 1 C Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
- 1/2 C Neutral Oil - or enough to coat the pan generously
Salt & Pepper
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp White Pepper - or Black Pepper if preferred
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F with the rack in middle position. Place the Oil into the roasting pan that is just large enough to fit all the pieces of Chicken. Ensure you are using enough to coat the entire bottom of the roasting pan generously. Combine the Salt & Pepper blend together and set aside.
- Clean and trim the Chicken Quarters, and optionally chop to separate the Thigh and leg. Score the Chicken, season with Salt & Pepper and place them into the roasting pan, presentation side down.
- Transfer to the oven to cook for 30 minutes. Then flip the pieces over and cook for 20 minutes.
- Strain out any excess Oil and baste with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, flip over (presentation side down) to baste the other side. Place them back in for 5 minutes. Baste again and flip presentation side up to baste again. Place back in for 5 minutes. Remove and optionally baste again, let rest 10–15 minutes before serving with a small dipping bowl of Sweet Thai Chili Sauce on the side.