Can you think of anything better to wake up to in the morning than a “silog” meal waiting on the table? Runny yolks, garlic-studded fried rice, sweet and salty cured meats…mmm, mmm, mmm! Best way to start my day, any day. “Silog”, for the uninitiated, is the colloquial term used to describe a typical Filipino breakfast made up of fried rice (sinangag), sunny side up eggs (itlog), and meat of choice such as beef tapa (tapsilog), longganisa (longsilog) and pork tocino (tosilog).
I know “chicken tocino” can be rather confusing for those who are not familiar with the Filipino food culture as “tocino” technically means pork or more specifically, the belly part of the pig. In the Philippines, the word tocino has been deeply associated with the process of preserving meat in sugar, salt and spices that it also encompasses any type of meat cured in this type of marinade. Â So, here ends our short lesson in tocino terminology. On to delicious mornings ahead.
- 2 pounds chicken thigh meat, boneless and skinless
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup banana ketchup
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ cup sugar
- water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- In a bowl, combine chicken, pineapple juice, ketchup, salt, garlic powder and sugar. Massage meat with curing mixture until well-distributed and evenly colored. Store in a covered container or ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight to cure.
- In a pan over medium heat, add chicken including marinade and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until meat is tender and cooked through, adding more water in ½ cup increments as needed. When water is completely absorbed and meat is tender, add oil and cook, stirring regularly, until meat caramelizes. Serve hot.
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I just made this and it’s lovely!
I removed the chicken from the pot and then reduced the liquid before adding it back in, as it seemed to take too long otherwise.
I had it with scrambled egg and look forward to trying with garlic rice tomorrow!
Thanks for sharing the recipes!
Thanks, Emy! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
can i use orange juice instead of pineapple?
Hello Sam,
Yes, you can. There would be a slight change in flavor but it should be fine.
thank you. i tried making this using the juice from canned pineapples. the taste is right and exactly what i was looking for thank you, but the taste was so mild maybe the pineapple juice i used wasn’t tart enough or maybe because i heated it for a bit before using it as a marinade. either way, i grew up loving tocino and i miss it. I want to make it knowing what’s in it so, really, thank you.
Hi Sam,
The juice of canned pineapples has very light flavor. In fact, if you compare it with regular pineapple juice, you’ll find that the packing liquid is very clear in color. Try making this with real pineapple juice for best taste 🙂
yeah thats what i figured where it went wrong.. ill make it again with stronger tasting puncb from the juice…. happy holidays
Happy holidays, Sam!
Can i use chicken breast instead?
Yes, you can. I have to say, though, I really prefer thigh meat here as breasts tend to cook dry.
I tried your recipe and it was the perfect marinate! Tastes so good! Thank you!
You’re welcome. 🙂
My girlfriend doesn’t eat pork but we are trying to cook Tocino with the chicken. I noticed you didn’t include the Tocino Marinating Mix in your ingredients. Can we also use the Tocino marinating mix with the chicken as well?
Hello Chris
With tocino marinating mix, did you mean a commercial one you buy packaged from the store like Mama Sita’s?
This tocino does not use that kind of mix as we are using from scratch ingredients. If you are going to add the marinating mix, you have to adjust all the ingredients listed in the recipe as the marinating mix is already a seasoning. I hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
I tried this recipe but I used chicken leg meat because that’s the only available chicken meat I found in my fridge. I’m so amazed with how it turned out thank you so much for the recipe
My Filipino husband loves eating tocino once or twice a week and buying the little small packages for $5 adds up so decided to find a recipe to make at home to save money. Does this freeze well? Could I make 2-3 extra batches and let it freeze in the marinade? Thanks!
Hi,
Can i use pirk loin because i dont have chicken thigh in my fridge and my daughter is asking me to make it for them tonite?
Thanks, love your recipes
I love your blog! I tried this recipe tonight and it paired well with your suam na mais recipe! 🙂 I just replaced the pineapple juice with lemon juice & banana ketchup with tomato ketchup, though when I was cooking it, I had to add more sugar because I was smelling the sourness more than the sweetness. Turned out quite well. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve never tried using lemon juice and tomato sauce but it’s something to keep in mind when I run out of supplies, which is often 🙂
Homemade tocino! yey!I tried it last night and it turned out really well. No more unknown ingredients. 😀 Thanks for sharing Ms. Lalaine.
How do I make banana ketchup. I am thinking I am going to blend a banana in tomato ketcup (though this might be wrong) Please advise because I know I will not be getting that in the grocery.
Hi Catherine
No, please don’t add bananas. If you are using tomato ketchup, just add a bit more sugar as banana ketchup tends to be more sweet than tart. I add the banana ketchup primarily for color, to get that red hue, you can omit it altogether if you like.
Let me know how it turns. I am here to help 🙂
Thank you Lalaine, great idea! We’ll do just that for an ever ready breakfast viand 🙂 . And i’m on the watch for more 🙂 . God bless.
🙂
This is fantastic! Just tried it this morning and we all ‘over ate’ but without worries or feeling of guilt for serving this to your family coz no nitrates/nitrites used. Awesome! Now it’s in my ‘to go’ list. Thanks a lot.
Hello Charming
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Yes, homemade always better as we can control what goes in our food. I often make two or three batches of this chicken tocino, portion them in ziplock bags and freeze them for the mornings I want tosilog. They keep well in the freezer for a good couple of months. 🙂
Even if I tend to overeat when served with anything ‘silog, I still love this very Pinoy food. And of course, homemade is still the better and healthier choice than store-bought. 🙂
Hi Edel
Me, too! I always eat more than I should when it comes to rice and tocino or tapa. Yes, homemade is always better and healthier. And cheaper, as well. 🙂
I find your recipes very interesting and I love all of them including your comments about your life growing up. It seems like I have known you forever. Excellent job. Please continue sending me your ever loved recipes.
Hello Lily
Thank you so much for your kind words. I know my propensity to talk too much and I try to restrain myself at times so not to bore everyone with my chit chat. 🙂