Chicken Inasal is a Filipino grilled chicken dish with juicy, tender meat that’s marinated in a savory, tangy blend of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and fragrant lemongrass. As it cooks, it’s brushed with annatto oil, giving it its signature golden-orange color and irresistible aroma.
Traditionally, Chicken Inasal is grilled over charcoal, but this version is cooked in a skillet, so you can enjoy all the classic flavors without needing a barbecue.
Serve it with steamed rice, chicken oil, atsara, and a soy sauce, calamansi, and chili dipping sauce for the full Filipino experience.
What Is Chicken Inasal?
Chicken Inasal is a Filipino grilled chicken dish that originated in Bacolod. The chicken is marinated in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, and other seasonings, then grilled while being brushed with annatto oil, which gives it its signature golden-orange color.
For this recipe, I’m skipping the grill and cooking the chicken in a skillet instead. You still get all the classic flavors, but it’s much easier to make.
Serve it with steamed rice, chicken oil, atsara, and a soy sauce, calamansi, and chili dipping sauce for the full experience.
Chicken Inasal Marinade
This marinade is what gives Chicken Inasal so flavorful. It’s a simple mix of soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, and oil, but together they create the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors.
I like to marinate the chicken overnight because the flavor gets all the way into the meat. If you’re short on time, 30 minutes still works, but if you can plan ahead, the extra time is definitely worth it.
How to Make Chicken Inasal
1. Make the marinade.
In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, and oil until well combined.
2. Score and marinate the chicken.
Make a few shallow cuts in the chicken to help the marinade soak into the meat. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large zip-top bag, seal, and massage to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavor.
3. Sear the chicken.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and reserve the marinade. Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side until lightly browned.
4. Finish cooking.
Reduce the heat to low and strain the reserved marinade into the pan to remove the garlic and lemongrass. Cover and cook for about 7 minutes per side for regular chicken quarters or 10 to 12 minutes per side for large. Baste the chicken with the pan juices every few minutes.
During the last few minutes of cooking, brush the chicken with annatto oil on both sides, flipping once so the color develops evenly. Cook until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
5. Rest and serve.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with steamed rice, chicken oil, atsara, and a soy sauce, calamansi, and chili dipping sauce.
How to Prepare Lemongrass
If you’ve never cooked with lemongrass before, don’t worry. It’s easy to prepare.
Start by trimming off the woody bottom end and the green top, leaving only the pale yellow stalk. Peel away the tough outer layers until you reach the tender center, then finely chop it before adding it to the marinade.
Since lemongrass is very fibrous, I strain the marinade before pouring it into the pan. That way, you still get all of its citrusy flavor without ending up with tough pieces in the finished dish.
Tips for the Best Chicken Inasal
- Marinate overnight if you can. Thirty minutes works, but an overnight marinade gives the chicken much more flavor.
- Score the chicken first. A few shallow cuts help the marinade soak deeper into the meat and promote even cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer. The chicken is done when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Strain the marinade. Removing the garlic and lemongrass before adding the marinade to the pan keeps them from burning.
What to Serve with Chicken Inasal
- Steamed rice.This is the classic Filipino pairing. The hot, fluffy rice soaks up all the flavorful juices from the chicken and its dipping sauce.
- Chicken oil. This signature orange rice topping is made by combining annatto oil with a little chicken drippings, butter, and a pinch of salt. Spoon it over your rice for extra flavor.
- Atsara. Atsara is a Filipino pickled green papaya relish. Its sweet and tangy flavor balances the richness of the chicken.
- Soy sauce, calamansi, and chili. Mix soy sauce with freshly squeezed calamansi juice and chopped bird’s eye chilies for a simple dipping sauce that adds even more flavor.
How to Store and Reheat Chicken Inasal
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm the chicken in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water until heated through. You can also reheat it in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or microwave it in 30-second intervals until hot.
Try These Easy Filipino Recipes Next
Chicken Inasal Recipe (Filipino Lemongrass Chicken)
Ingredients
- 4 regular or 2 large chicken leg quarters
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup vinegar
- ⅓ cup oyster sauce
- 1 whole head garlic crushed
- 1 lemongrass stalk finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅓ cup oil
- 3 tablespoons annatto oil or as needed
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, and oil until combined.
- Score the chicken by making a few shallow cuts on each piece.
- Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a large zip-top bag. Seal and massage the bag to coat the chicken evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavor.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and reserve the marinade.
- Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side until lightly browned.
- Reduce the heat to low. Strain the reserved marinade into the pan to remove the garlic and lemongrass. Cover and cook for about 7 minutes per side for regular chicken quarters or 10 to 12 minutes per side for large, basting the chicken with the pan juices every few minutes.
- During the last few minutes of cooking, brush the chicken with annatto oil on both sides, flipping once so the color develops evenly. Cook until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
