Welcome to one of my favorite chicken dishes of all time: the humble chicken inasal! This dish bursts with flavor and is one of the most popular dishes back home amongst Filipinos for a good reason.

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The best I can describe the taste of chicken inasal is a combination of smoky, tangy, and aromatic, with a hint of sweetness from the marinade and basting sauce.

When cooked right, the chicken is incredibly moist and tender, perfect for any grilling or barbecue parties!

What is inasal?

The word “inasal” literally translates to “roasted” or “char-grilled” meat and it originates from the city of Bacolod in the Visayan region of the Philippines.

It simply refers to chicken that’s been marinated, skewered, and then grilled over charcoal.

If you’re familiar with other Filipino barbecues, grilling over charcoal is super common as a street food in order to achieve that signature charred, smoky taste in meats.

After doing some deep research, I came across this one blog by Sigrid, who’s a Bacolod food and lifestyle blogger. She mentions how the term “inasal” is more of a collective name or umbrella term for all kinds of chicken inasal.

She noted how no two kinds of chicken inasal are the same, meaning that each restaurant (and perhaps even each family) has their own rendition on how to make this delicious dish. In fact, it’s pretty common for Filipinos to not even measure their ingredients at all! My parents would always eyeball their recipes according to their own tastes and what their parents and grandparents had taught them in the past.

But your recipe is baked, so would it technically still be “inasal”?

Technically, no, but here’s the deal. I came up with this recipe mainly to cater to those who either a) did not have a grill, and/or b) who lived up North (like I do) where grilling is unfortunately not an option to us year-round (curse you, snow).

I have, however, tested this recipe on the grill and it tasted equally as delicious; so whatever mode of cooking you choose to do, this recipe should fit all of them.

Annatto Oil: The key ingredient

Think of annatto (aka. achuete) as a natural food-coloring. It can be comparable to the food-coloring properties of turmeric, paprika, beets, matcha, etc. Annatto essentially lends chicken inasal its signature vibrant red color.

Annatto also tends to have a very subtle, yet distinct taste. It can best be described as somewhat floral, peppery, and slightly sweet. I’ve tried chicken inasal recipes without the use of annatto oil before, and you can definitely taste that subtle difference. Though not entirely that big of a deal if you leave it out (it will still be delicious!), expect that the full flavor and color won’t be exactly the same as the classic chicken inasal recipes.

To make annatto oil:

Heat 1/2 cup of oil with 2 tbsp of annatto seeds. Let the seeds simmer for about 5 mins over medium heat until the oil changes into a vibrant red color. Remove the oil from the heat, and let it sit for 5 more mins to allow the seed’s flavors and color to infuse. Strain the seeds and store the resulting annatto oil.

Ingredients

•Chicken thighs, with slits cut on the meat

Marinade:
•1.5 tbsp lemongrass, minced
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tbsp ginger, grated
•2 tbsp light brown sugar
•2 tbsp white vinegar
•1 tbsp salt
•1 tbsp calamansi juice (or lime juice)
•1 tsp Maggi/Knorr liquid seasoning (or soy sauce)
•1/2 tsp ground black pepper
•1/4 cup annatto oil

Basting sauce:
•1/4 cup unsalted butter
•2 tbsp annato oil
•1/4 tsp salt
•1 tsp light brown sugar
•1/2 tsp calamansi juice

How to prepare chicken inasal

Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Coat the chicken completely in the sauce and let it marinate for at least 1 hour to overnight (overnight is definitely preferred!)

Place the marinated chicken on a wire rack and bake for 45-50 mins (or until fully cooked through) at 375°F.

For the last 15 mins of cooking, baste the chicken with the basting sauce every 5 mins (for a total of 3 bastings). Then just before serving, broil the chicken on high, just enough to get a light char on the skin.

How to eat chicken inasal

Chicken inasal is traditionally served with a side of warm rice, some kind of a dip (such as a sawsawan), calamansi, and chilli peppers.

If you’re going for the real deal to make an authentic chicken inasal platter (and maybe even impress some other Pinoys as well), have all of those components served on a banana leaf for extra points.

Otherwise, the classic chicken + rice combo is a safe bet.