Chicken inasal without the fuss of a charcoal grill — the kind that makes you beg for more chicken oil and extra cups of rice.
Chicken inasal is Bacolod's signature grilled chicken — marinated in garlic, ginger, calamansi, lemongrass, and vinegar, then basted with annatto-infused chicken oil, and grilled over charcoal. Unlike most Filipino barbecue, it doesn't lean sweet. You’re met with a slightly tangy and aromatic chicken, and the chicken oil does the heavy lifting on flavor and color instead of a thick glaze. This version skips the grill but keeps everything that makes inasal taste like inasal — the tangy marinade, the chicken oil, and the fat rendering that builds that charred, savory flavor on the skin.
Inasal means broiled or grilled in Ilonggo, same as litson in Tagalog. A large cut of meat, often chicken, is marinated in calamansi, lemongrass, and vinegar before grilling over red-hot charcoal. Annatto oil gives inasal its distinct reddish-orange color.
This recipe is handy to have around for when you're craving the inasal you had in Bacolod without the fuss of setting up your ihawan. If you haven't had legit inasal, this is a great place to start. Time is your friend. A longer marinade means the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and calamansi will really sink into the meat, but don't go longer than overnight — the acid will start to break down the chicken and make it mushy. Leave it overnight, get a good night's sleep, and wake up feeling giddy about having chicken inasal for lunch.
Don’t miss out on rendering the fat first! Fry the chicken skin side down to render fat off the skin and build color. It adds a savory depth you can only get from chicken drippings. Save that rendered fat and fold it into your chicken oil for a version that practically begs for second (and third) servings of rice.
Marinate chicken: In a mortar and pestle or food processor, combine garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. Pound or pulse into a coarse paste. Transfer to a bowl and combine with soy sauce, calamansi juice, cane vinegar, lemon-lime soda, and brown sugar. Mix well and massage into chicken. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag and marinate for at least 10 hours, or overnight.
Make chicken oil: In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine neutral oil, annatto seeds, crushed garlic, bay leaves, lemongrass, and salt. Heat over medium-low until small bubbles form around the aromatics, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and steep for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain, discard solids, and set some aside for basting.
Cook chicken: Heat enough neutral oil to cover the bottom of a large pan over medium-low. Scrape off any excess marinade paste from the chicken. Place 2–3 quarters skin side down and leave untouched for 5–7 minutes to render the fat. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook the other side for another 3–5 minutes. Baste with the chicken oil. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
Serve: Plate chicken with steamed white rice and extra chicken oil on the side. Top with crispy garlic bits and atchara (pickled papaya), if you have it.
