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Home » Recipe Index » Barbecue and Grill » Chicken Inasal

Chicken Inasal

Published: Jun 10, 2020 · Modified: Jun 11, 2020 by Lalaine Manalo · This post may contain affiliate links

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Chicken Inasal is easy to make yet delivers tons of flavor. Marinated in vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, and achiote oil, and grilled to juicy perfection, this Filipino chicken barbecue is a guaranteed crowd pleaser!

inasal na manok in a glass serving dish
Chicken Inasal

I spent the early part of this year in the Philippines, and a good number of my meals in those months was Mang Inasal pecho with unli rice. One of my aunts brought me to the restaurant to try it, and I got forever hooked to their nuot sarap inihaw na manok!

I am now back in Texas with no restaurant branch for thousands of miles to feed my inasal cravings. Sob.

If you're like me and hankering for some juicy, flavor-packed Filipino BBQ, give this recipe a try. It's super easy and more budget-friendly to make at home yet just as tasty and delicious!

cut-up chicken marinating in a vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, garlic, and ginger in a clear glass bowl

Chicken Inasal is a popular grilled dish from the Western Visayas region. It derives its distinctive flavor and color from a marinade made of vinegar, calamansi, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and atsuete oil. Other versions of the recipe also include Sprite or 7-up to add flavor and act as a tenderizer.

The chicken parts are usually skewered in bamboo and then grilled over hot coals to juicy perfection while basting with the oil.

making chicken oil with atsuete in a pan

How to make chicken oil

The orange-colored oil is a major component in the flavor profile of this Visayan dish. I use chicken skin and fat, but feel free to swap with vegetable oil to cut down on the cholesterol.

  • In a wide pan over medium heat, place chicken skin, bottoms, and fat. Cook, stirring as needed until they begin to crisp and render fat.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the skins from the oil.
  • Add atsuete seeds, crushed garlic, and bay leaf. Cook for a few minutes until the oil is evenly colored.
  • Remove from heat and steep for about one hour to draw out more flavor and color. Strain using a fine-mesh sieve and discard aromatics.
  • If using atsuete powder, stir about one tablespoon until well-dispersed. Strain using a fine-mesh sieve.

grilling chicken inasal on a charcoal grill

Cooking tips

  • Depending on the size, cut the whole chicken in quarters (two breasts and two leg quarters).
  • Use a non-reactive bowl or resealable bags to marinate the chicken.
  • Marinate for at least two hours up or four hours for the best results. Do not keep the chicken in the marinade for more than 8 hours lest the acids in the vinegar and citrus juice denature the proteins and turn the meat mushy.
  • For food safety, divide the atsuete oil and use half for basting and the other half for serving.
  • To check for doneness, insert a thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone. 165 F is the safe internal temperature for both dark and white meat.
  • For moist meat, let the grilled chicken rest for three to five minutes to redistribute the juices.

chicken inasal with steamed rice and chicken oil on a banana leaf-lined wooden plate

How to serve

  • Chicken inasal is commonly served for lunch or dinner with steamed rice along with condiments such as chicken/atsuete oil and calamansi-soy sauce mixture or sinamak (spiced palm vinegar).
  • Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.
  • To reheat, wrap in an aluminum foil and bake in a 350 F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until heated. Alternatively, arrange chicken pieces in a microwaveable plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
chicken inasal with steamed rice and chicken oil on a banana leaf-lined wooden plate
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3.84 from 24 votes

Chicken Inasal

Chicken Inasal is a Filipino-style BBQ chicken flavored with vinegar, citrus juice, lemongrass, and achiote, and grilled to perfection. It's juicy, flavorful, and delicious served with steamed rice.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Main Entree
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 450kcal
Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and grated
  • ½ cup palm vinegar
  • ¼ cup calamansi juice
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 (about 3 to 4 pounds each) whole chicken, quartered

For the Annatto Oil

  • 1 pound chicken skins, bottoms, and/or fat
  • ¼ cup annatto seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and pounded
  • 1 bay leaf
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Peel and/or cut away the dark, fibrous parts of the lemongrass until you get to the white and light green portions. Using a knife, finely chop lemongrass.
  • In a large bowl, combine vinegar, calamansi juice, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well-blended.
  • Add chicken and cover bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for at 2 to 4 hours.
  • In a wide pan over medium heat, place chicken fat and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and renders oil. Using a slotted spoon, remove skin and bottoms.
  • Lower heat and add annatto seeds, crushed garlic, and bay leaf. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, turning as needed to prevent seeds from burning.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to steep for about 1 hour or until oil is infused with deep orange color. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain oil. Discard aromatics and set aside oil.
  • Lightly grease grill grates and heat over hot coals.
  • Drain chicken from marinade and scrape off any stray aromatics. Arrange chicken in a single layer over hot grates with skin side up.
  • Grill chicken, turning once or twice and basting regularly with the half of the chicken oil, for about 30 to 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of chicken registers 160 F.
  • Remove from heat, cover, and allow to rest for about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot with the remaining chicken oil and steamed rice.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
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Lalaine from Kawaling Pinoy

Hello! My name is Lalaine and welcome to Kawaling Pinoy where you’ll find Filipino and Asian-inspired recipes, cooking tips, and how-to videos. Read more...

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Comments

  1. Karen says

    June 10, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    Hi, do you have a substitute for the calamansi juice? Thanks...

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      June 10, 2020 at 5:14 pm

      You can use lemon or lime juice 🙂

      Reply
  2. Gine says

    May 08, 2020 at 6:33 pm

    Hi! Is palm vinegar different from the regular datu puti vinegar?

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      June 10, 2020 at 11:41 am

      Palm vinegar is made from sugar palm sap and Datu Puti I believe is from coconut sap. You can use Datu Puti vinegar in this recipe 🙂

      Reply
  3. Milette Famorca says

    May 04, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    I love your food and like say,
    Pampanguena’s are the best cooks. Ty for sharing, I

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      June 10, 2020 at 11:42 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  4. Louella Lee says

    May 27, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    Hi, for your mango ice cream recipe, what can you substitute for heavy cream if it's not available. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      May 27, 2019 at 10:41 pm

      You can use Nestle cream. Make to chill in the refrigerator until very cold so you'll get better volume 🙂

      Reply
  5. Yvonne says

    May 05, 2019 at 6:37 am

    Out of all the published recipies, you have the most delish foods I've tasted, thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      May 06, 2019 at 6:23 am

      Awww, thank you so much, Yvonne. I really appreciate your feedback. I am glad you're enjoying the recipes.

      Reply
  6. Taj says

    October 24, 2017 at 2:26 am

    Hello Maam Lalaine. just want to ask what would be an alternative for palm vinegar?

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      June 10, 2020 at 11:42 am

      You use regular vinegar such as Datu Puti 🙂

      Reply
  7. Rupert Correos says

    February 17, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    I like your cooking recipe. I hope I can learn more of native filipino dishes.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      March 07, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      Thank you so much, Rupert. I hope you find the recipes here useful.

      Reply
  8. Annapet says

    February 03, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    Thank you for sharing your recipes, Lalaine!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      February 04, 2017 at 9:40 pm

      You're welcome 🙂

      Reply
      • Iya says

        June 11, 2020 at 5:26 pm

        Hi, how many ml of vegetable oil can i swap for the chicken fat and skin? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Lalaine Manalo says

          June 11, 2020 at 9:43 pm

          You can do one cup 🙂

          Reply

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