Chicken Inasal
Chicken marinated in vinegar, calamansi and lemongrass, then grilled over charcoal and basted with annatto oil until deeply charred.
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 30 min
- total
- 1 h
- serves
- 4
- level
- medium
Chicken inasal comes from Bacolod, a city that takes its claim as the Philippines' chicken capital seriously, with a marinade built on vinegar, calamansi and lemongrass that's tangier and lighter than most other Filipino grilled chicken.
The annatto oil basted on throughout grilling is what gives it that distinctive orange color, and it's worth making even in a small batch rather than skipping it.
Part of our 20 best Filipino recipes list.
method
Combine the vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl or bag. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight in the fridge.
To make the basting oil, warm the neutral oil gently with the annatto seeds and the extra garlic cloves for 5 minutes over low heat, until the oil turns orange-red. Strain and set aside.
Heat a charcoal grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill, turning occasionally and basting generously with the annatto oil, for 25 to 30 minutes, until charred in spots and cooked through.
Baste one final time right before serving.
Serve with garlic rice and a small dish of soy-vinegar dipping sauce.
chef's tips
- Annatto oil is what gives inasal its distinctive orange color and faint earthy flavor, and it's worth making even in small batches rather than skipping it.
- Chicken inasal comes from Bacolod, often called the Philippines' chicken capital, and the vinegar-calamansi marinade is tangier and lighter than most other Filipino grilled chicken marinades.
- Basting several times while grilling builds up flavor in layers, rather than relying on the marinade alone.
- Bone-in, skin-on pieces hold up best over direct charcoal heat without drying out.