HAT YAI

The City That Made Fried Chicken Famous

Ask almost any Thai person where to find the country's best fried chicken and there's a good chance they'll say Hat Yai.

Located in Southern Thailand near the Malaysian border, Hat Yai is one of the region's busiest commercial cities. Its markets come alive from morning until late at night, filled with fruit sellers, tea shops, noodle stalls and, of course, fried chicken vendors.

Hat Yai Fried Chicken has become famous for its fragrant marinade of garlic, coriander root, white pepper and turmeric, before being fried until crisp and finished with golden fried shallots.

Simple.

Affordable.

Deeply satisfying.

Like many of the world's iconic street foods, its popularity comes not from luxury, but from everyday craftsmanship repeated thousands of times over.