5 from 18 votes
Chicken Inasal (Filipino Marinated and Grilled Chicken)
Chicken Inasal is a Filipino grilled chicken dish featuring chicken legs marinated in a vibrant achiote oil infused with garlic, lemongrass, and annatto seeds. The marinade combines flavors of ginger, brown sugar, lime, vinegar, garlic, and spices resulting in richly aromatic, tender, and flavorful chicken that’s basted and grilled to develop a distinctive, slightly smoky char and subtle tang.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Additional Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 50 mins
Servings:
5
Calories:
6938 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Filipino
Ingredients
Achiote oil
- ½ c vegetable oil
- ½ tbsp garlic minced
- ¼ tsp lemongrass minced
- ½ tbsp annatto seeds
- 1 bay leaf
Marinade
- 3 ½ lb chicken legs or thighs or drumsticks
- ¼ c achiote oil
- 1 tbsp lemongrass minced
- 1 tbsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice or calamansi juice
- 2 tbsp cane sugar vinegar Datu Puti brand preferred
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Basting sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 ½ tbsp achiote oil
- ½ tsp lime juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp light brown sugar
Dipping sauce, optional
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cane sugar vinegar Datu Puti brand preferred
- 1 tbsp lime juice or calamansi juice
Instructions
Achiote oil
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the vegetable oil, minced garlic, and minced lemongrass. Lightly simmer for one minute until they begin to lightly brown on the edges.
- Add the annatto seeds and bay leaf. Cook for another minute or until there are bubbles surrounding the seeds. Remove the pan from the heat and steep for one hour.
- Strain the oil and transfer into a glass container like a mason jar.
Cup of Yum
Marinade
- Pat your chicken dry with paper towels. In a glass container with an airtight lid, combine the achiote oil, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, light brown sugar, lime juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the chicken into the container. Turn chicken to make sure it’s thoroughly coated. Cover with an airtight lid and place in the fridge to marinate overnight. I like to shake the chicken in the container every 5 hours to make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated and the marinade doesn’t separate. Remove the chicken from the fridge for 30-60 minutes before grilling so it can warm up to room temperature and cook more evenly.
Basting sauce
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter, achiote oil, lime juice, salt, and sugar. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds or until the butter is completely melted.
- Stir to mix all the ingredients.
Grilling
- Preheat your grill to medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, then clean your grill.
- Grilling chicken legs takes about 30-40 minutes total, depending on the thickness, or when the chicken measures at 160 °F. Be careful to not burn your chicken by leaving it directly over the fire.Note: My grill is too hot with three flames on low, so I shut one off leaving two burners on low.
- Place the chicken skin side up over the lowest heat setting and close the lid. The grill’s internal temperature should be around 300-325 °F. You will not be turning the chicken until the end for searing.
- Only open the lid, every 10 minutes for basting. Simultaneously, also make sure to test the internal chicken temperature and remove pieces when they reach 160 °F in the thickest part of the chicken.
- TIP: If your chicken is burning, move them to the top tier rack (if you have one), OR move them to a section of the grill with the lowest heat, OR with the flame off.
- When all the chicken has reached 160 °F and you’ve removed them from the grill, raise the heat to medium and close the lid for three minutes. Open the lid, then sear each piece of chicken with the skin side down for about one to two minutes or until you get a nice brown color.
- Remove from the grill and rest for a few minutes.
- Combine ingredients for the dipping sauce and serve with chicken and with steamed rice or garlic rice immediately.
Nutrition Information
Calories
693.8kcal
(35%)
Carbohydrates
8.6g
(3%)
Protein
30.7g
(61%)
Fat
59.9g
(92%)
Saturated Fat
31.5g
(158%)
Cholesterol
192.7mg
(64%)
Sodium
2149.6mg
(90%)
Potassium
382.7mg
(8%)
Fiber
0.1g
(0%)
Sugar
6.1g
(12%)
Vitamin A
450.4IU
(9%)
Vitamin C
2.9mg
(3%)
Calcium
25.9mg
(3%)
Iron
1.5mg
(8%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 6938
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 693.8kcal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 8.6g | 3% |
| Protein | 30.7g | 61% |
| Fat | 59.9g | 92% |
| Saturated Fat | 31.5g | 158% |
| Cholesterol | 192.7mg | 64% |
| Sodium | 2149.6mg | 90% |
| Potassium | 382.7mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 0.1g | 0% |
| Sugar | 6.1g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 450.4IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 2.9mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 25.9mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1.5mg | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.