Chicken Inasal Recipe
This Chicken Inasal recipe is easy yet delivers bold flavors! Chicken marinated in vinegar, calamansi and spices then grilled to perfection. Oh, and don’t forget the chicken oil!
One of my daughter’s favorite food is chicken. Whether it’s fried, grilled, sinigang (chicken in sour soup), her appetite is just crazy when we’re having chicken. This chicken inasal recipe is so easy and quick not including the time to marinate the chicken. This grilled chicken dish is a sure winner with your family and friends. So let’s start and get those grills fire up!
What is Chicken Inasal?
Chicken Inasal. “Inasal” means “chargrilled” or “roasted meat” that originated from the City of Bacolod, Philippines. Others say it means skewered meat from the root word “asal”. Whatever it means, one thing I know for sure is it’s amazingly delicious!
How to make
The chicken is marinated with lemon, soy sauce, garlic, lemon grass, pepper and vinegar then grilled over charcoal until tender and juicy. It doesn’t stop there, the grilled chicken is brushed with chicken oil mixed with achuete powder that gives it an orange hue not to mention more flavor.
The recipe for the chicken achuete oil calls for chicken skin. Chicken skin can be bought in some groceries or at butchers in Asian stores. One trick I can share with you is, save the chicken skin when cooking other chicken recipes you make and freeze them. When you have enough, make the chicken oil in advance and place in a bottle with tight fitting lid.
Ways on how to grill
Traditional way of grilling the chicken is by grilling over wood charcoal. This gives it an authentic smoked flavor. This is good if you have a backyard or at picnics.
Using the oven is another option if I want to make chicken inasal indoor especially during winter where it’s cold outside. But I do have a little secret to give it that smoked flavor. Using “liquid smoke” to make it as close as possible to the taste we’re familiar with.
Electric grill is what I used to grill the chicken for this recipe. This grills are good as well and you don’t need charcoal to cook the chicken. But just like the others, the smoke it produces could be a nuisance if your indoor.
Tips for an amiable experience!
You don’t necessarily need a charcoal grill or be outside to make the dish. For this recipe we used an electric grill or oven and cooked it in our kitchen.
Mix in the chicken achuete oil sauce with steamed rice for an authentic chicken inasal meal.
To get best results, marinate the chicken overnight for the flavors to really seep in.
Dip it in soy sauce, calamansi, vinegar, chili, salt and chopped onion dipping sauce. You can also add atchara as a side.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
You may also like:
Chicken Satay with peanut sauce grilled perfectly is a must Asian food experience! Marinated chicken strips slathered with peanut sauce is simply delicious.
Soy Sauce Chicken is so flavorful! Cooked in dark soy sauce with herbs and spices that are so fragrant. Enjoy a mouthful this juicy and moist chicken with an oriental touch.
Chicken Inasal Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pcs chicken thigh and legs
- 2 tbsp salt (to rub on chicken)
Marinade Ingredients
- ¼ cup cane vinegar
- 2 tbsp calamansi juice (or lemon juice)
- 1 tbsp ground pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 stalk lemon grass (chopped)
- pinch of salt
Chicken Oil Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken skin
- ½ pc chicken broth cube
- 1 tbsp achuete powder
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Thoroughly wash the chicken thighs then pat dry with paper towels. Cut some slits on the chicken diagonally so the meat inside will cook properly. Then rub in the salt.
- In a bowl large enough to fit the chicken, mix in the soy sauce, calamansi juice, cane vinegar, lemon grass, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Rub the marinate mixture on the chicken and cover with cling film. Let it soak for 2/4 hours or if you can, marinate it overnight in the refrigerator.
Making the chicken oil with achuete
- Place chicken skin in a pan over medium heat. Let it cook until it renders fat approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken skin and turn down the heat to low. Add chicken broth cube and achuete powder. Stir until broth cube and achuete powder dissolves.
- Transfer chicken oil sauce in a bowl by passing the oil on a strainer to remove any solids.
Grilling the chicken:
- Start up the grill whether you are using charcoal, oven, or electric grill.
- Place the chicken thighs on the grill and after 2 minutes brush the chicken with the chicken achuete oil.
- Grill the chicken pieces until cooked through while basting both sides with the annatto oil from time to time.
- As a serving suggestion, you can use banana leaves and place it between the chicken and serving plate with rice and chicken oil. Bon appetit!
