SP Chicken
A small Isaan shop near Wat Phra Singh whose whole gai yang, roasted on a vertical charcoal rotisserie, earned it a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Restaurants Isaan (Northeastern Thailand)
Chiang Mai (TH)
SP Chicken is a compact Isaan-style restaurant on Samlan Soi 1, a lane near Wat Phra Singh in the old city. Small whole chickens turn on a custom upright charcoal rotisserie by the front, with the heat coming from the side so the skin crisps without flaring.
It became widely known through food writers and chefs, and was on the Michelin Guide Thailand Bib Gourmand list in 2021 and 2022. The menu goes beyond chicken to papaya salads, larb and sour soups, with Thai and English menus.
Inside it is plain and bright, with a mostly local crowd at lunch. Birds are served whole or halved, and the kitchen will chop one to take away.
What to order
- Gai yang: whole rotisserie chicken with garlic, served with sweet chilli sauce and nam jim jaew
- Som tam: green papaya salad, with crab (som tam boo) if you like it funky
- Khao niao: sticky rice, the natural partner for the chicken
- Tom saep: a hot and sour Isaan soup with beef
- Yam tap wan: a spicy pork liver salad
Good to know
- Go at lunchtime; chickens can sell out by mid-afternoon and the shop closes around 17:00.
- Bring cash to be safe; reviewers report it is cash only.
- Walk about 100 metres down Samlan Soi 1 from the western moat road; it is on the right.
Opening Hours
Features
Location
9/1 Samlan Road Soi 1, Phra Sing, Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai 50200
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Cook it at home: Isaan (Northeastern Thailand) recipes
The northeast: fiery salads, grilled meats, fermented fish and sticky rice. The food Thailand eats when it eats out.
Grilled & Fried
Gai Yang (Isaan Grilled Chicken)
Chicken marinated in garlic, coriander root, pepper and lemongrass, grilled slowly over charcoal and served with jaew and sticky rice.
65 min · Easy
Salads
Larb Moo (Isaan Minced Pork Salad)
Warm minced pork tossed with lime, fish sauce, chilli flakes, toasted rice powder, shallots and fresh mint.
30 min · Easy
Soups
Tom Saep (Isaan Hot & Sour Pork Rib Soup)
A clear, fiery, sour soup of tender pork ribs with lemongrass, galangal, roasted chilli and lots of fresh herbs.
75 min · Easy
Dips & Relishes
Nam Jim Jaew (Isaan Dipping Sauce)
The smoky, sour, salty dipping sauce served with grilled meats across Isaan, thickened with toasted rice.
10 min · Easy