Chicken Inasal (Bacolod Citrus Lemongrass Grilled Chicken)
Quick answer
- Active time
- 50 min
- Waiting
- See the steps
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
The orange sheen of Bacolod-style grilled chicken comes from annatto oil, brushed on thinly every time the pieces are turned.
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In Bacolod a street called Manokan Country holds dozens of inasal stalls, and the dish is often simply called Bacolod chicken. A sour marinade of vinegar, lime juice, lemongrass, and garlic needs at least 2 hours and ideally a night in the fridge to reach into the thighs. Set aside annatto oil that never touches raw chicken for basting, and throw out the used marinade. In the Philippines it comes with garlic rice.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Score each chicken thigh every 2 cm, cutting 3-4 slits into the thickest parts so the marinade reaches the center.
- 2
Combine 4 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and finely minced lemongrass stalk in a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- 3
Submerge the chicken fully in the marinade, seal the container, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for deeper flavor.
- 4
Preheat the grill to medium heat (180-200C) for 10 minutes.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, place on the grill, and cook 6-7 minutes per side until grill marks form.
- 5
Keep 1 tablespoon annatto oil separate from the raw chicken.
Brush only this clean oil in a thin layer each time the chicken is turned, and discard the marinade that contacted raw chicken.
- 6
Remove the chicken from heat when the internal temperature reaches 74C, rest for 3 minutes, then slice against the grain and serve immediately.
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