Chicken Bistek is just as tasty as the beef version, but quicker to make and more budget-friendly. Moist, flavorful and smothered in a tangy and savory sauce, it’s delicious with steamed rice.
An adaptation of the Spanish encebollado, the Filipino bistek is a dish made of sliced beef braised in a mixture of calamansi juice, soy sauce, garlic, and onions. In recent years, however, the term “bistek” has evolved to include not only beefsteak, but also other meat such as pork chops, chicken, and fish cooked in the signature marinade.
This chicken version has the same tangy and savory taste we love in Bistek Tagalog but is quicker to make and more budget-friendly. Both are similar in ingredients and procedure other than the generous dollop of liver spread I stirred in at the end of cooking to thicken the sauce. It’s a simple addition that kicks up the flavor!
Ingredients for Chicken a la Bistek
- Bone-in chicken cut into serving portions-swap with boneless chicken thigh meat if desired
- Lemon or calamansi juice
- Soy sauce
- Onions, garlic, and peppercorns-saute the meat in these aromatics and garnish with additional onion rings when ready to serve for presentation
- Liver spread-helps thicken the sauce and adds flavor
Tips on How to Make Chicken Bistek
- Cut the chicken in uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
- Do not marinate for too long as the acids in the lemon or calamansi will denature the protein fibers and turn the meat mushy. Thirty minutes to an hour should be enough to boost flavor.
- Drain the chicken well and squeeze off any excess liquid so it will brown properly. Reserve the marinade and the aromatics.
- The liver spread thickens the sauce and adds flavor. If you prefer to skip, simmer the sauce longer to reduce.
Give this chicken cooked a la bistek a try and make sure to have plenty of rice ready. Hearty and full-on flavor, it’s sure to be a family favorite. Enjoy!
Chicken Bistek
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken, legs, thighs or whole cut up into serving parts
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, cracked
- 1/4 cup lemon or calamansi juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons liver spread
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse chicken and drain well.
- In a bowl, combine chicken, onions, garlic, peppercorns, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Massage the marinade into the meat and marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- Drain chicken and squeeze excess liquid. Reserve marinade and aromatics.
- In a wide skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and reserved onions and garlic from the marinade.
- Cook, stirring regularly until chicken is lightly browned.
- Add reserved marinade and water and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced.
- Add liver spread and stir to dissolve. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- Season with salt to taste. Garnish with sliced onion rings, if desired. Serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
Here in the Middle East, liver spread is not available or allowed; is there any alternative that I can use, I do not want to use fresh liver. Appreciate your immediate reply on this inquiry.
Substitute shredded quick melt like Eden. It’s not the same savory flavor but still creamy. Or you can just omit it and reduce the sauce to thicken more.
Hi!
Instead of using liver spread, can I use fresh chicken livers instead? I plan to cook them together with the chicken meat until they get so soft, they’ll disintegrate. Will this work? Thanks!
Yes, chicken livers will work fine 🙂
MS. Lalaine question po pede po ba lemonsito yung gamit? Same lang po ba yun sa gamit nyo or yung yellow talaga na makikita sa mall? Nasa bakuran ko lang po kasi makukuha at ilang pieces po ang gagamitin? Salamat po.
Pasenya na hindi ako familiar sa lemonsito but I think it would work kung kalasa lang na lemon 🙂
This recipe has been recently updated. I’m cooking it now but I will be using fresh chicken livers and thighs. 😊 I will give you an update once it’s done. 😊
Happy cooking 🙂
Hi there.
My name is Aida I’m a Filipina leaving in South Africa.
Love to receive some of your exciting recipe.
My boys loves pinoy food such as adobo,sinigang and dried fish. 😉
Regards
Aida TM
Hi Aida! You’re in the right place. We have HUNDREDS of free recipes 🙂
This tastes so good I cook this weekly. Hubby cannot believe there is chicken bistek until I tried cooking your recipe. Thank you and more power to you!
Thank you so much, Daphne, for the feedback. Glad hubby enjoyed it 🙂
Hi po! Just commenting to appreciate how helpful your blog is, specially for a new mom like me. 😀 Thank you, thank you, thank you po! 🙂
Thank you so much, Ella, for your feedback. You made my day! 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. Dahil dito nababawasan honesickness ko. Feels like home. Thank you once again 🙂
Hi Avriel! That’s one of our goals here at KP. Cooking makes me feel like I’m home again 🙂
imbis liver spread ilagay pwd lng ba harina ilagay?
Hello,
Omit na lang ang liver spread 🙂
hi do you have a specific brand of liver spread that is ideal for this recipe? I have never tried using liver spread in my cooking. Thanks and looking forward to you soonest reply.
Hello Agnes,
I use Reno brand 🙂
They will love it! It’s so yummy ; ).
🙂
This looks wonderful. Is liver spread the same as liver sausage or braunschweiger?
Hi Lalaine!
I’ll be married soon and so I started practicing how to cook. My husband to be is very appreciative with my cooking. I believe I’m not bad as well when it comes to cooking.
I don’t really get recipes from the internet because it feels like cheating. But since I was out of recipes to cook, I’ve tried your Chicken Bistek last night and they loved it! 🙂
Just want to tell you that you have a new follower. 🙂 Thank you for creating this blog. This is very helpful to us!
Looking forward to more delicious recipes from you!
P.S. I told my fiance that I got the recipe from the internet so I am guilt free! 🙂
Hi Mae,
You’re definitely on the right tract to a love-filled married life…as the saying goes, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach 🙂
mahirap hanapen ang reciois mo puro app ayaw naman naka 10 times na ako walang recipis
Hello Marlinda
I am sorry nagkakaproblema ka to access the recipes. Can you tell me more kung bakit hindi mo makita so I can help figure it out?
This is an amazing recipe. Did it for 3 times already, doing the 4th later!
Thanks for the kind review, Karina. I am glad you liked this chicken bistek enough to cook it at 3 times and counting 🙂
If you didn’t use liver spread for thickening, what else would you recommend?
Just allow it to simmer little longer for the liquid to reduce a bit more.
Never thought to try this with chicken. Looking forward to making it!
Enjoy!
Omg just finished cooking it and it is GOOD! Thanx for the recipe i love it!
Hi RD
I am glad you liked it:)
About the soy sauce, do you use the dark or light? Pls assp
Hi Beng
I used dark soy sauce, Filipino soy sauce (Datu Puti brand) but light soy sauce such as Kikkoman would be fine. 🙂
I will try this tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you like it. 🙂
This looks so delicious! I haven’t tried making this with liver spread but I will definitely try this very soon. Thanks for posting this!
Sounds weird but the addition of liver brings it all together 🙂