Philippines 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
+ 2 hours 3 minutes resting
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 53 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 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
- 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
- Cut away dark, fibrous parts of lemongrass to reach white and green portions. Finely chop lemongrass.
- Peel garlic and purée in a blender or use a mortar and pestle to mash the cloves.
- Place lemongrass, garlic, vinegar, calamansi juice, ginger, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl, mixing until well combined.
- Add chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours, turning chicken every 30 minutes, to marinate.
- Combine cooking oil, annatto seeds, garlic, and bay leaf in a saucepan set over medium heat.
- Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until oil begins to bubble.
- Remove saucepan from heat and set aside to steep for approximately 60 minutes, until oil is infused with a deep orange color.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to strain oil, discard solids, and set oil aside.
- Remove chicken from marinade and remove any marinade solids that remain on chicken.
- Grease and preheat grill.
- Arrange chicken in a single layer, skin-side up, on greased grill grate.
- 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).
- Remove chicken from heat, cover, and let rest for 3–5 minutes.
- Serve chicken hot with rice and sinamak, if desired.
For Chicken:
For Annatto Oil:
Notes
- The pieces of chicken can be skewered before grilling for easier handling.
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