Thai Street Food 2. Khao Man Gai

Khao Man Gai Stall Sukumvit Rd Bangkok

Khao Man Gai (ข้าวมันไก่ literally rice,oil,chicken) is derived from Hainanese-Style Chicken on Rice but has been modified over the years to become subtly different and distinctly Thai. This one-plate dish is one of the most common and popular street food and small eatery dishes available countrywide though it is not so well known outside of Thailand.

The dish is simple. It’s tender boiled chicken a top a bed of rice, sprinkled with coriander and served with sliced cucumber and most importantly a sauce containing yellow soy bean paste, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and of course Thai chilis. On the side there is a bowl of chicken broth in which floats a slice of winter gourd or squash.  No matter where you go throughout the country vendors usually stick to this format occasionally with addition of a few cubes or slices congealed chicken blood which is not as off putting as it may sound.

I had some yesterday at a street stall near Queen's Park between Soi 24 and Soi 22 in Sukomvit Rd Bangkok. Delicious. Dad slices the chicken, giblets, congealed blood and places on rice. Mum adds the cucumber, coriander amd serves with a small bowl of the sauce and a bowl of chicken broth and gourd also topped with coriander. Their preschool daughter is sitting drawing at the table behind.

You can easily recognise a shop selling Khao Man Gai as there is often a whole chicken, white in color, suspended in the glass cabinet at the front of the shop which the vendor takes down to slice pieces  and prepare the dish.

To some extent the number of chickens on display is sign of the quality and popularity of the stall.


To eat sitting at a small roadside table it cost 30 baht($1) but with a bottle of Chang Export lager bought for les than $1 at the adjoining 7/11 priceless.