The Thai grilled chicken dish commonly served with sticky rice is Gai Yang. Also spelled Kai Yang, it is a charcoal-grilled chicken dish especially associated with Thailand’s northeastern Isan region and with neighboring Laos, where related versions are called ping kai.
A typical preparation uses a whole chicken that is split or flattened, marinated, and cooked slowly over charcoal. Common flavorings include fish sauce, garlic, turmeric, coriander root, and white pepper, although recipes vary by region and vendor. The slow grilling helps the skin turn fragrant and lightly crisp while keeping the meat tender.
Gai Yang is commonly served with sticky rice and som tam, the spicy green-papaya salad. Sticky rice is traditionally eaten by hand, making it a practical pairing for grilled chicken and dipping sauces. A frequent mix-up is moo ping, which is grilled pork on skewers; gai means chicken, while moo means pork. The dish’s name is quite literal: gai means chicken and yang means grilled.