Chicken Inasal
Inasal na Manok
Bacolod chicken inasal—charcoal-grilled leg quarter basted in achuete oil with garlic rice, atchara, and soy-vinegar sawsawan.
Serves 4 · 1h 25m total (marinate 1 h minimum, overnight best)
The Story
From Bacolod in Negros Occidental—inasal means grilled, and the city's chicken houses built a national obsession. Bacolod inasal is charcoal chicken basted with annatto oil, citrus, and garlic, served with rice and sharp sawsawan.
The dish grew from provincial grilled chicken culture elevated by Manokan Country—a strip of open-air restaurants where locals and travelers eat the same way. Achuete gives the signature orange stain; constant basting keeps the skin glossy and smoky.
When inasal chains spread to Manila and abroad, Bacolod claimed identity through this single dish. It stands apart from generic Filipino barbecue by the basting rhythm and the pairing ritual—rice, atchara, soy-vinegar with calamansi and chili on the side.
Best paired with
Garlic rice, atchara, soy-vinegar sawsawan with calamansi and siling labuyo
Techniques for great inasal
- Achuete oil basting — Baste every few turns—not once. The annatto stain + oil keeps skin glossy and orange like the photo.
- Skin-side down first — Render fat and get char without drying the meat—do not flip too early.
- Charcoal > gas — Hardwood charcoal adds smoke; if using gas, finish with a brief high-heat sear.
- Lemongrass brush — Tie bruised stalks as a basting brush for extra aroma (discard stalks, do not eat).
Sides & sawsawan (from your photo)
Garlic rice (sinangag)
Day-old rice fries best. Golden minced garlic + green onion on top—non-negotiable beside inasal.
Sawsawan
Soy sauce + vinegar + siling labuyo (1:1 soy to vinegar, adjust to taste). Dip chicken, not pour over rice.
Atchara
Sweet-sour pickled papaya cuts through rich chicken—store-bought is fine for weeknights.
Calamansi
Halve and squeeze over chicken or into sawsawan for brightness.
Variations
Classic Bacolod inasal
Leg quarters, achuete baste, charcoal—this recipe.
Inasal pecho (breast)
Boneless thigh or breast—shorter cook, watch dryness, baste more.
Oven / air fryer
Same marinade; broil or air-fry 200°C, baste with achuete oil every 8 minutes.
Extra-spicy
Add chopped labuyo to achuete oil for the last baste only.
Cooking outside the Philippines
- Calamansi → key lime, lime, or calamansi concentrate (dilute)
- Achuete → annatto seeds online, or 1 tbsp paprika steeped in warm oil
- Lemongrass → frozen stalks from Asian grocery, or zest + ginger
- Atchara → Filipino pickled papaya jar, or quick cucumber pickles
Lola's Tips
- ✦Baste with achuete oil every 2–3 minutes—the orange gloss in your photo comes from repetition, not one brush.
- ✦Leg quarters only for beginners—breast dries out fast on open flame.
- ✦Marinate overnight when you can; 30 minutes is the bare minimum.
Substitutions
- achuete seeds → paprika + turmeric in oil for color
- coconut vinegar → cane vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar
- lemongrass → lemon zest + minced ginger
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Pat chicken dry. Score the skin lightly in a crosshatch so the marinade penetrates and fat renders—leg quarters like your photo (thigh + drumstick attached) stay juicier than breast.
- 2
Marinate: combine calamansi, vinegar, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss chicken and refrigerate at least 1 hour (overnight is best). Reserve a few tablespoons of marinade for basting (discard any that touched raw chicken after use).
- 3
Make achuete oil: warm oil over low heat, add annatto seeds, swirl 2–3 minutes until oil turns deep orange-red. Strain into a bowl. This is your basting oil—the glossy orange skin in the photo.
- 4
Preheat charcoal grill to medium (you can hold your hand 10 cm above grates for 4–5 seconds). For oven: broil on a rack at 220°C (425°F) with a foil-lined tray underneath.
- 5
Grill skin-side down first 12–15 minutes without moving—build char and render fat. Flip, grill 10–12 minutes more, basting with achuete oil every 2–3 minutes on both sides until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part.
- 6
Rest chicken 5 minutes so juices settle. Meanwhile, stir-fry minced garlic in 2 tbsp oil until golden, toss with hot rice and green onion for sinangag (garlic rice).
- 7
Plate chicken on banana leaf if you have it. Serve with garlic rice, atchara, calamansi halves, and sawsawan: mix soy sauce, vinegar, and siling labuyo in a small bowl—dip each bite like the photo.
Kitchen Timer · 40 min prep first
45:00
