Chicken inasal is one of the meals that I miss the most from home.
Growing up, we had easy access to this moist, succulent, sweet and sour chicken, grilled over hot coals, and dipped into your dipping sauce of choice. Always served with lots of rice, and if you like, chicken oil.
I have tried to make a marinade that would remind me of home many times, and many times I’ve failed. Or if I liked the taste, Tobi will have something to complain about it. Or I forgot to write it down.
A lot of the recipes online call for lemongrass or ginger, the flavors of which I don’t recall in the chicken inasal I grew up with. Of course, I’ve tried them as well, and some were good, but still not the ONE I was looking for.
Until this marinade!!
I did a little dance inside when I tasted the fresh-off-the-grill chicken.
Happiness!!
I finally got the taste I wanted!
Finally, my search has ended and I can now have chicken inasal whenever I want.
Important ingredients for chicken inasal:
Coconut vinegar
Almost all the recipes that claim to come from the original inasal houses use sinamak, which is the local name of coconut vinegar. Of course, since I’m not in the Philippines, I have to make do with what is available in the Asian Markets. Thankfully there are a couple of brands of Filipino coconut vinegars being sold, which do the trick.
I have tried this with apple cider vinegar, and it’s not the same. Unfortunately, it is not as sour as coconut vinegar and of course, it tastes different. But in a pinch, it will do.
Garlic – lots of it!
A lot of Filipino dishes have garlic, and the chicken inasal is not an exemption. My marinade uses a whole head, which imparts a good garlicky flavor.
Calamansi
Calamansi, or Philippine lemon, is the Philippine’s answer to lime or lemon. Sadly, I cannot find it here in Switzerland, or even in Germany, so I resort to a mix of lemon and lime.
Annato/Atsuete
Annato gives the chicken inasal its distinctive color. It doesn’t impart much to taste, but we all eat with our eyes first, and without the reddish oil dripping from the chicken, it doesn’t look like chicken inasal at all.
I have used an annatto/atsuete powder, which I can buy here. I also use butter, because I saw a friend use it and his chicken inasal tasted good!!
If you have access to fresh annatto/atsuete, by all means, use that. I have never tried making it, but check this recipe which uses rendered chicken fat, or this simpler recipe, which uses oil.
You may also pour some of this over rice.
If you have been to a “manokan” – a place that sells inasal, you would see the ubiquitous chicken oil at the table, next to the vinegar and soy sauce. I never put it on my rice, as I am not a fan of too much oil (I am afraid for my arteries!), but most people do, so give it a try!
Chicken
Duh! What will we grill?? You may quarter a whole chicken (I made a video, which you can check out on Youtube, or see below), or use all thighs, or breasts, as you wish. Wings will be good too.
I like to quarter my own chicken, as it comes out cheaper than buying the separate parts. I then save the backs in the freezer for making stock or the broth base for ramen and chicken pho.
HOW TO QUARTER A CHICKEN
So, let’s get grilling!
First, get your chicken. Slash diagonally through the meat a few times so that the marinade will seep in.
This is a VERY IMPORTANT STEP.
The times I forgot to do that, the chicken was not tasty in the middle.
This also ensures that the meat will cook evenly.
Then, get the ingredients for the marinade.
If you have a mortar and pestle, take it out, otherwise, use a knife. Pound the garlic, remove any big skins that have detached, but leave those still attached.
Dice the shallot.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Add the chicken and marinade, at least 4 hours, best if overnight.
If you want to prepare this ahead of time, you may freeze the chicken and marinade directly, it will marinate when you defrost it. Keep in mind that you have to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before.
When you are ready to grill, prepare the basting sauce.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, and once melted, add the annatto/atsuete powder. Mix well.
Chicken inasal tastes best when grilled, but I have had considerable success in the oven as well. It doesn’t taste as good, but its good enough when I am craving for chicken inasal during winter.
On the grill:
Grill the chicken pieces, until the internal temperature is 165°F/75°C.
Baste with the basting sauce from time to time.
If you have no thermometer, slice into the chicken to check. The juices should run clear.
In the oven:
Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
Place the chicken pieces on a baking pan with a rack.
Baste with the basting sauce and place on the upper rack of the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and baste the bottom part.
Bake another 15 minutes, and then check for doneness.
Serve with dipping sauce of choice. A mix of either soy sauce, vinegar, calamansi (or lime/lemon), red pepper should suffice.
Serve with rice and ENJOY!
Here are other Filipino recipes that you might enjoy:
Pin here for future reference.
Calories
Fat
Carbs
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Tweety Golez
Serves 4
Make the famous Bacolod Chicken Inasal at home! Easy as pie!
4 hr, 20 Prep Time
40 minCook Time
5 hrTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 kilo chicken, quartered, or 1 kilo chicken parts (i.e. thighs, breasts, wings)
- 1 head garlic, pounded – keep skins
- 2 tbsp white sugar (you may use brown as well, if you wish)
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ c coconut vinegar
- ¼ c calamansi juice, or 2 tbsp each lime and lemon juice
- 1 shallot, diced
- ¼ c (56 g) butter
- ½ tsp annatto/atsuete powder
Directions
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large nonreactive bowl. Make diagonal slashes on the big chicken parts (i.e. thighs and breasts). This will ensure that the marinade will reach the insides of the chicken and will cook evenly.
- Add the chicken and marinate at least 4 hours, best if overnight.
- If you want to prepare this ahead of time, you may freeze the chicken and marinade directly, it will marinate when you defrost it. Just remember to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before.
- Just before grilling or baking, prepare the basting sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, and once melted, add the annatto/atsuete powder. Mix well.
- Grill the chicken pieces, until the internal temperature is 165°F/75°C.
- Baste with the basting sauce from time to time.
- If you have no thermometer, slice into the chicken to check. The juices should run clear.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
- Place the chicken pieces on a baking pan with a rack.
- Baste with the basting sauce and place on the upper rack of the oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and baste the bottom part.
- Bake another 15 minutes, and then check for doneness.
- Serve with dipping sauce of choice. A mix of either soy sauce, vinegar, calamansi, red peppers should suffice.
- Serve with rice.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Prep time includes marinating, which can be as short as 4 hours as as long as 12 - 18 hours (overnight in the fridge).
