Pandan Chicken ( ไก่ ใบเตย)

This is such a common dish in Singapore but it originates from Thailand.

Pandan leaves are called screwpine leaves in the western world and they are not common at all. In Southeast Asia, there are so many creations from just this leave. It is used to perfume desserts, juiced and extracted to bake cakes and in this case, used as a wrap for chicken.

They are priced for their incredible fragrance, and is commonly seen in Singaporean, Malaysian, Thai, Indonesian, Filipino and Vietnamese dishes. They are called Bi Tua in Thailand, and there are many cakes and desserts made with pandan.

Here’s a version of the pandan chicken that my family likes. It is a simple recipe, of garlic, onion, lemon grass, pepper and kaffir leaves. By wrapping the chicken in the pandan leaves, it does not dry out and retains the taste. Simply great!