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Filipino chicken inasal with steamed rice, calamansi, and vinegar.

Filipino Chicken Inasal

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Visayan grilled chicken marinated with calamansi, coconut vinegar, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic, then basted with annatto oil.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Calories: 560

Ingredients
 
 

Chicken and Marinade
  • 3 lb bone-in chicken leg quarters
  • 1/2 cup coconut vinegar
  • 1/3 cup fresh calamansi juice or lemon juice
  • 2 stalks lemongrass tender inner parts finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
Annatto Baste
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp annatto seeds
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp fresh calamansi juice

Equipment

  • Large nonreactive bowl
  • Charcoal grill or grill pan
  • Small saucepan
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

Marinate:
  1. Whisk the vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken, coat well, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
  2. Drain the chicken and discard the used marinade. Pat the skin lightly dry.
Make the Baste:
  1. Warm the oil and annatto seeds over low heat for 5 minutes without frying the seeds. Strain, then stir in the butter and calamansi juice.
Grill:
  1. Prepare a medium charcoal fire with a cooler zone. Grill chicken skin-side down until browned, then move to indirect heat.
  2. Turn and baste lightly every few minutes until the thickest part reaches 175 F, about 25 to 30 minutes. Rest 8 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 43gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 890mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g

Notes

  • Baste only with the separate cooked annatto mixture, never with marinade that touched raw chicken.
  • Serve with steamed rice, calamansi, and spiced vinegar; refrigerate leftovers for three days.