Chicken Inasal Recipes

CHICKEN INASAL

Steps:

• Peel and/or cut away the dark, fibrous parts of the lemongrass until you get to the white and light green portions. Using a knife, finely chop lemongrass.
• In a large bowl, combine vinegar, calamansi juice, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well-blended.
• Add chicken and cover bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for at 2 to 4 hours.
• In a wide pan over medium heat, place chicken fat and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and renders oil. Using a slotted spoon, remove skin and bottoms.
• Lower heat and add annatto seeds, crushed garlic, and bay leaf. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, turning as needed to prevent seeds from burning.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to steep for about 1 hour or until oil is infused with deep orange color. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain oil. Discard aromatics and set aside oil.
• Lightly grease grill grates and heat over hot coals.
• Drain chicken from marinade and scrape off any stray aromatics. Arrange chicken in a single layer over hot grates with skin side up.
• Grill chicken, turning once or twice and basting regularly with the half of the chicken oil, for about 30 to 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of chicken registers 160 F.
• Remove from heat, cover, and allow to rest for about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot with the remaining chicken oil and steamed rice.

CHICKEN INASAL

Steps:

• Score the legs of the poussins and remove the wishbones. Make the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a bowl, add the poussin, cover and chill. Leave to marinate for at least 4 hrs.
• To make the basting butter, mix the garlic with the softened butter. Add the lemon juice, soft dark brown sugar and achuete oil for colour. Mix well.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and heat a griddle pan over a medium high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Season and coat with the achuete oil. Put upside-down on the griddle for 5 mins until the skin is crisp and golden, then flip over and transfer to the oven for 20-30 mins until cooked, checking and basting occasionally with butter. Leave to rest for 5-10 mins before serving.
• While the poussins are grilling, make the sinamak by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Cut the banana leaf into two 25 x 12cm rectangles using scissors. Run them under water, then toast in a dry pan, lightly blow torch or grill until toasted (this releases the natural oils and makes the leaf shiny). To serve, put the toasted banana leaf on a plate, top with a poussin, a spoonful of the atchara, a sprinkling of spring onions and serve the sauces and sinamak alongside.

GRILLED CHICKEN INASAL

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Chicken inasal is best grilled but can also be roasted in the oven. When roasting, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet, reserving the marinade. Roast the chicken, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade, until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
• If grilling start over direct heat for a brief time then move to indirect heat. watch carefully so as not to burn.