1. Thai pandan leaf chicken
Gai hor bai toey or pandan leaf chicken is a Thai street food staple made by wrapping succulent pieces of chicken in pandan leaves and deep-frying it to a rich, golden hue.
The chicken gets its deep, savoury flavour from being marinated in oyster sauce and soya sauce, as well as aromatics such as garlic and lemongrass.
This fried favourite can be found across the country, served with a dipping sauce made from soya sauce, sugar and water.
2. Chicken inasal
A variant of lechon manok (spit-roasted chicken), this sweet, smoky Ilonggo chargrilled chicken is marinated with coconut vinegar, calamansi, ginger, lemongrass and brown sugar.
The bird is first spatchcocked and cut into serving sizes, before being marinated, skewered with bamboo sticks and placed on a grill.
The meat is generously basted with a mixture of chicken oil or margarine, red-hued annatto oil, turmeric and lime.
It is served with chicken oil and calamansi-infused soya sauce or sinamak (spiced palm vinegar), along with siling labuyo (Filipino bird’s eye chilli).
3. Ayam betutu
Bali’s ayam betutu is prepared with base genep, a sharp and spicy paste that incorporates more than a dozen spices and ingredients.
While there are various styles, at its most basic, this dish consists of a whole chicken that has been stuffed and slathered with the spice paste and then steamed or roasted, or both.
Popular variations include the soupy, extra spicy one from Gilimanuk and the tender Gianyar version, where the chicken is first steamed in banana leaves before it is wrapped in palm leaves and grilled over a charcoal fire.
4. Ga ac tiem thuoc bac
Ga ac tiem thuoc bac or black chicken herbal soup is a Vietnamese delicacy traditionally used to treat everyday ailments and is also given to new mothers to improve lactation.
A whole Silkie chicken – unique for its black skin and bones – is stewed with herbs such as dried jujubes and female ginseng as well as other ingredients such as lotus seeds, bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms for a hearty taste.
The delicate method of double boiling is used to extract maximum flavour while keeping the chicken intact.
5. Ayam percik
Ayam percik originates from Malaysia’s Kelantan state, but today, it is found all over the country, and is typically sold at night markets and Ramadan bazaars.
Coated in a creamy, bright orange marinade made from coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric and red chillies, the chicken is slowly grilled over a charcoal fire, infusing the meat with smokiness while giving it a lovely char. There’s also a white version that omits the chillies.
What sets ayam percik apart from other grilled chicken dishes is its mild sweetness, thanks to the use of local palm sugars such as gula kabung and gula melaka.
According to airasia.com
