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Chicken Inasal

Chicken inasal originated in the western Visayas region of the Philippines, though it has become popular to some extent across the country. A marinade made of vinegar, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, annatto oil, and calamansi juice gives the chicken a very distinctive flavor that is unique even in Filipino cuisine. It is customarily served with sinamak, a spiced palm vinegar.

Recipe Servings: 4

Prep Time
15 minutes
+ 2 hours 3 minutes resting
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 53 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Chicken:
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (tanglad)
  • 1 head garlic
  • ½ cup (120 ml) palm vinegar
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) calamansi juice
  • 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar
  • 1½ tsp (7.5 ml) salt
  • ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper
  • 2 whole chickens (2–3 lbs/900 g–1.4 kg each), each split into two
Annatto Oil:
  • ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup (44 g) annatto (achiote) seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and pounded
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Cooked rice, as needed for serving (optional)
  • sinamak, as needed for serving (optional)

Directions

    For Chicken:
  1. Cut away dark, fibrous parts of lemongrass to reach white and green portions. Finely chop lemongrass.
  2. Peel garlic and purée in a blender or use a mortar and pestle to mash the cloves.
  3. Place lemongrass, garlic, vinegar, calamansi juice, ginger, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl, mixing until well combined.
  4. Add chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours, turning chicken every 30 minutes, to marinate.
  5. For Annatto Oil:
  6. Combine cooking oil, annatto seeds, garlic, and bay leaf in a saucepan set over medium heat.
  7. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until oil begins to bubble.
  8. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside to steep for approximately 60 minutes, until oil is infused with a deep orange color.
  9. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain oil, discard solids, and set oil aside.
  10. Remove chicken from marinade and remove any marinade solids that remain on chicken.
  11. Grease and preheat grill.
  12. Arrange chicken in a single layer, skin-side up, on greased grill grate.
  13. Grill chicken, turning once or twice and basting regularly with annatto oil, for about 30–45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 160°F (71°C).
  14. Remove chicken from heat, cover, and let rest for 3–5 minutes.
  15. Serve chicken hot with rice and sinamak, if desired.

Notes

  • The pieces of chicken can be skewered before grilling for easier handling.