Grilled Curry Chicken with Smashed Cucumber Salad

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OriginThai-inflected, Kamado

Active30 min

Total90 min

EquipmentKamado Joe, instant-read thermometer, basting brush, 2 mixing bowls

Startup

20 min–30 min

Chicken thighs pull

165°F

Grilling

Rest

5 min

Marinate

30+min

Refrigerated; up to overnight

Salad sits

10min

Room temp, while the chicken grills

1 · MARINATE

2 · GRILL

Grilling · 350–400°F · tier 2

3 · SMASH

4 · SERVE

3/4 cup ≈ 177 mL coconut milk, canned

Whisk with the rest of the marinade until mostly smooth.1

2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL red curry paste

Whisk in.

1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL fish sauce, marinade

Whisk in. Optional, but it is the savory floor under the coconut.

1/4 cup ≈ 59 mL cilantro, finely chopped, marinade

Whisk in.

2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL lime juice, marinade (1 lime)

Whisk in.

1/2 tsp ≈ 2.5 mL kosher salt, marinade

Whisk in.

1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL brown sugar, marinade

Whisk in.

2 cloves garlic, grated

Grate straight into the bowl, whisk in.

2 1/2 lb ≈ 1.1 kg chicken thighs, boneless skinless

Into the marinade, turn to coat, cover, refrigerate at least 30 min.2

Direct on the middle rack, 4 min per side untouched until the edges char3

Onto a platter, salad piled over the top.

6 small Persian cucumbers

Cut into 1 1/2-in pieces4

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Toss in.

1/4 cup + more ≈ 59 mL cilantro, finely chopped, salad

Toss in the 1/4 cup; hold the rest for garnish.

Extra scattered over the platter.

1/4 cup ≈ 59 mL lime juice, salad (2 limes)

Toss in.

2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL toasted sesame oil

Toss in.

1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL fish sauce, salad

Toss in. Optional.

1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL brown sugar, salad

Toss in.

1 tsp ≈ 5 mL crushed red pepper flakes

Toss in.

1/2 tsp ≈ 2.5 mL kosher salt, salad

Toss in.

for serving jasmine rice, cooked

Alongside, with the cucumber liquid spooned over.

coconut milk, canned · MARINATE Reserve 1/4 cup for basting before the chicken goes in.
chicken thighs, boneless skinless · MARINATE Light the Kamado in the last 20-30 min.
chicken thighs, boneless skinless · GRILL Then brush with the reserved marinade and keep turning until 165°F, ~10 min more.
Persian cucumbers · SMASH Then press each with the flat of a chef's knife until it pops open -- cracked, not pulverized. Toss with everything below and let sit 10 min at room temp.

Protein

Produce

Dairy & Egg

Pantry & Grain

Spice & Seasoning

Liquid & Fat

Notes

The char is the point. Coconut milk and brown sugar in the marinade caramelize hard against the grate -- leave the thighs alone for the first 4 min per side so that crust builds instead of tearing off.

Reserve the 1/4 cup before the raw chicken goes in. The baste is the same marinade -- pulling it out first means it never touches raw poultry, so it can go on in the last 10 min without a food-safety boil.

350-400°F on the Kamado, not a searing fire. The source says "medium-low" on a gas grill. The sugar in the marinade blackens above ~450°F before the thickest thighs reach 165°F -- tier 2 with the deflector out at 350-400°F gives char and a cooked center in the same 18-20 min.

Smash, don't chop, the cucumbers. Cracking them open with the flat of the knife makes ragged surfaces that hold the dressing; a clean slice sheds it. Stop when they pop -- keep going and you get mush.

Salad timing. It only needs 10 min at room temperature, so build it after the chicken goes on. Longer and the cucumbers weep and go limp -- if made ahead, hold the dressing separately.

Breasts or tenders work. Breasts take the marinade fine but dry out fast past 160°F, so pull sooner and let carryover finish; tenders cook in about half the time.

Stovetop fallback. A heavy skillet over medium-low does the job with the same timing -- less smoke, but you lose the grate char, so let the marinade crust hard before flipping.

Adapted Adapted from The Modern Proper -- "Grilled Curry Chicken with Smashed Cucumber Salad". https://themodernproper.com/grilled-curry-chicken-with-smashed-cucumber-salad