Grill/Barbecue

Chicken Inasal (Filipino Barbecued Chicken)

September 18, 2015
5
3 Ratings
Photo by Sara Washington
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This Filipino approach to grilled chicken packed with flavor is courtesy of Papa Urb's Grill in Stockton, California. Serve on a bed of rice with a fried egg, on a skewer, or in a taco. —Sara Goggin

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the marinade:
  • 1/2 cup garlic cloves
  • 2 thumb-sized knobs of ginger
  • 1/4 cup calamansi juice (use 1/2 cup lemon juice if no calamansi juice available)
  • 1 cup lemon-lime soda (or use lemon or calamansi juice and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar)
  • 2 cups soy sauce
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 lemongrass stalks
  • For the baste:
  • 1 tablespoon margarine (opitonal)
  • 1 packet achuete powder (found in Asian grocery stores or some the Asian food section of major retailers)
  • Jufran banana ketchup (also found in Asian grocery stores)
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Directions
  1. Marinade: Mince garlic and ginger, and mix with all liquid ingredients, brown sugar, and chicken. Pound lemongrass stalks on chopping board until they open, then chop so you have about 1/2 cup. Add to marinade and let the chicken marinade for at least an hour and up to overnight.
  2. Baste: Mix margarine, achuete packet, a few dollops of banana ketchup, and cooking oil.
  3. Grill thighs on both sides until grill marks form. Turn over twice, basting each side until you see char and a reddish-orange coloration on the meat for "inihaw" (barbecue) flavor. Make sure thickest part of meat is cooked. Slice the chicken and enjoy on a skewer, plate of rice, or in fresh grilled tortillas. Kain Na!!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Brandon J. Li
    Brandon J. Li
  • Alina
    Alina

2 Reviews

Brandon J. April 24, 2019
Super quick (not counting the marinade time) and easy dish that just happens to have a boatload of flavor. Definitely a keeper !
 
Alina November 16, 2015
I love chicken anything. This recipe is one for the books, I would love to try this one of these days, thank you for sharing. I am enjoying looking at these recipes and getting ideas of what to make and broaden my horizons on cooking.