Inasal Na Manok Sticks
Boneless Thigh Chicken Barbeque marinated in a mixture of vinegar and numerous spices such as lemongrass, garlic, and ginger. Basted with annatto and butter infused oil.
What is Inasal
This chicken barbecue is a regional recipe from Bacolod region, Western Visayas Philippines. The Ilonggo word ‘Inasal’ literally means char-grilled or roasted meat. Inasal is traditionally cooked on charcoal as a street food and eventually became so popular that many Filipino food chains have Inasal on their menus.
Apart from the reddish/yellowish colour, what makes this bbq recipe stand out is that it uses signature ingredients that screams Philippines all over it, hitting all the typical Filipino flavour profiles, it used coconut vinegar (not very acidic but sweet side), kalamansi and annatto/achiote oil (made from achiote plant and oil). When all mixed together creates a balanced and juicy marinade that is surely finger licking good!
When the chicken skewers are grilling, the meat is brushed with the annatto and butter/margarine infused oil which makes the chicken with an appetizing golden color and a unique peppery flavor. The dish is usually served alongside what we call ‘chicken oil’ which is annatto and chicken infused oil with garlic rice, spiced vinegar on the side and sometimes Atchara or Atsara.
Common Questions
Do I have to use annatto oil? Inasal is known for its colour and buttery/peppery flavour. No you don’t have to add annatto oil, it won’t change the flavours much. If you really can’t get hold of annatto oil you can opt it out.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
Baste
Annatto oil
Instructions
First let’s make the marinade, add chopped lemongrass, ginger, cloves, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, annatto oil, vinegar and sugar. Add them into the chopper’s bowl or blender. Blitz them until you get a smooth marinade. Pour the marinade to the chicken in a container, add the lid and marinate it in the fridge for 2 hours or longer.
To make the baste, in a small bowl, add annatto oil, butter, garlic, butter, black pepper, lemon juice and all purpose seasoning. Mix them well until incorporated, heat it in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. Mix them again well. Leave it on the side for later.
Once marinated, skewer the chicken onto the bbq sticks. Grill them on each side while basting them often and cook them until the chicken is cooked through. Do this to all the skewers, making sure they are cooked through and juices are transparent. Serve your inasal as a platter or as a meal with rice and soy & vinegar dipping sauce.
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