Skip to:
Chicken Inasal Recipe With Classic Bacolod-Style Marinade
This chicken inasal recipe proves that a simple marinade can do serious heavy lifting. It keeps things straightforward with a tangy, fragrant mixture that seeps deep into the meat before the chicken hits the grill and chars lightly around the edges. The result is juicy grilled chicken inasal with that signature Bacolod-style flavor: sharp, garlicky, smoky. Good luck stopping at one cup of rice!
- 40 min.
- 4 People
- Easy
- Budget
Ingredients
- 1/2 kilogram chicken (cut into serving pieces)
- 1 cup cane vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 piece ginger (grated)
- 2 stalks lemongrass (pounded and sliced)
- 1/4 cup annatto (achuete) oil
- 1 piece Knorr Chicken Cube (mashed)
What Is Chicken Inasal?
Chicken inasal is Bacolod’s take on Filipino grilled chicken, known for its tangy flavor, smoky aroma, and lightly charred finish. It stands out for its bright orange color and juicy texture straight off the grill. It’s usually served with rice drizzled with chicken oil, plus a sawsawan of calamansi, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Classic Chicken Inasal Marinade Ingredients
Chicken inasal gets its flavor from a simple marinade made with Pinoy pantry staples. Cane vinegar brings the tang, while garlic, ginger, and lemongrass add aroma and depth. Annatto oil and Knorr Chicken Cube round everything out with additional umami.
Why Is Basting Important for Chicken Inasal?
A crucial step in cooking this chicken inasal recipe is brushing the meat with annatto oil as it cooks on the grill. This process, called basting, keeps the meat juicy while creating the glossy orange coating and lightly charred finish inasal is known for. The repeated brushing also allows the oil and seasonings to caramelize directly onto the meat as they hit the heat.
More Negrense Recipes to Try
Besides this classic recipe, you can try an inasal version by Chef JP Anglo which uses a smoky, sweet glaze and a more layered basting technique for deeper flavor. Round out your Negrense feast with comforting bowls of pancit Molo, kansi, and La Paz batchoy for a spread packed with rich, deeply savory flavors.
Chicken inasal is Bacolod’s take on Filipino grilled chicken, known for its tangy flavor, smoky aroma, and lightly charred finish. It stands out for its bright orange color and juicy texture straight off the grill. It’s usually served with rice drizzled with chicken oil, plus a sawsawan of calamansi, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Classic Chicken Inasal Marinade Ingredients
Chicken inasal gets its flavor from a simple marinade made with Pinoy pantry staples. Cane vinegar brings the tang, while garlic, ginger, and lemongrass add aroma and depth. Annatto oil and Knorr Chicken Cube round everything out with additional umami.
Why Is Basting Important for Chicken Inasal?
A crucial step in cooking this chicken inasal recipe is brushing the meat with annatto oil as it cooks on the grill. This process, called basting, keeps the meat juicy while creating the glossy orange coating and lightly charred finish inasal is known for. The repeated brushing also allows the oil and seasonings to caramelize directly onto the meat as they hit the heat.
More Negrense Recipes to Try
Besides this classic recipe, you can try an inasal version by Chef JP Anglo which uses a smoky, sweet glaze and a more layered basting technique for deeper flavor. Round out your Negrense feast with comforting bowls of pancit Molo, kansi, and La Paz batchoy for a spread packed with rich, deeply savory flavors.
Nutritional Data
- Nut free
- Gluten free
- Pregnancy safe
- wheat free
Marinate the Chicken Time: 5 minutes Place chicken pieces in a food-grade container. Add cane vinegar, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, brown sugar, annatto oil (reserve 1 tablespoon for basting), and Knorr Chicken Cube. Mix well until all pieces are evenly coated. Cover and leave in the chiller overnight to marinate.
Grill or Pan-Fry the Chicken Inasal Time: 20–25 minutes Grill or pan-fry the marinated chicken over medium heat, turning and basting occasionally with the annatto oil, until fully cooked and lightly charred on the outside. Serve hot. Tip: The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink near the bone.