Thai · Authentic-ish Thai
Thai Fried Chicken
302 kcal a serving, against 735 for the traditional version. That is 433 kcal off, or 59%, with 37.1g of protein. Serves 4. 50 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs marinated with garlic, coriander root, fish sauce, white pepper, and a bit of sugar. Each piece is battered in seasoned plain flour and deep-fried until golden and crisp. Served sometimes with sticky rice or a quick cucumber relish. The skin turns glassy and brittle, and the meat stays juicy from the hot oil bath.
What changed, and what each change costs
Skin-on chicken thighs swapped for skinless thighs
The skin is where most of the extra fat comes from. Take it off and you lose a good chunk of calories, but also that shatteringly crisp outside that makes Thai fried chicken what it is.
What it costs you. It is not glassy. It is tender. The chicken stays juicy enough, but there's no hope of replacing that crackly, golden skin. Still, seasoned chicken is better than no chicken.
Deep-frying ditched for baking at a high heat on a rack
Oven baking with a rack lets the air get all round the thighs so you'll get a little crisping and colour, without the oil bath. Spray the chicken with a whisper of vegetable oil and you'll coax a bit more crunch from the flour.
What it costs you. Real Thai fried chicken is to this what a Ferrari is to a week-old bicycle. If deep golden crust is what brings you joy, this will fall short. That said, your kitchen won't smell of fryer oil for three days.
Plain flour in the coating cut right down
Without a thick batter, you drop most of the starch. A thin dusting is all you need for some texture and to hold the seasoning. You can get away with much less flour because you've lost the batter and the skin.
What it costs you. The coating is more of a suggestion than a statement. You get some flavour and a hint of crunch, but forget about the layered, craggy crust.
Seasonings turned up a notch - more garlic, more coriander, more white pepper
Without the deep-fried shell, you need the flavour somewhere. Bump up the aromatics and you still end up with chicken that tastes lively.
What it costs you. No real downside here, unless you're a vampire. Big flavours distract from any textural compromise.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 735 | 302 |
| Protein | 32.9g | 37.1g |
| Fat | 56.8g | 11.4g |
| Saturated fat | 11.5g | 2.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.5g | 10.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.5g | 12.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Thai prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. fish, gluten.
The method is in the book
You don't get that deep-fried arrogance, but what you do get is chicken that's spiced to the eyebrows and actually tastes like the marinade. The outside's got a bit of texture but it won't convince you you're eating the real deal. Still, there's a lot to be said for a platefull that isn't dripping oil all over the kitchen tiles. It's not the same, but it's chicken you can eat with your hands and not feel like you need a nap straight after.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Thai, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.