Filipino Chicken Inasal
Visayan grilled chicken marinated with calamansi, coconut vinegar, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic, then basted with annatto oil.
Equipment
- Large nonreactive bowl
- Charcoal grill or grill pan
- Small saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
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
Instructions
Marinate:
- Whisk the vinegar, calamansi juice, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken, coat well, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- Drain the chicken and discard the used marinade. Pat the skin lightly dry.
Make the Baste:
- 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:
- Prepare a medium charcoal fire with a cooler zone. Grill chicken skin-side down until browned, then move to indirect heat.
- Turn and baste lightly every few minutes until the thickest part reaches 175 F, about 25 to 30 minutes. Rest 8 minutes before serving.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 43gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 890mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g