Food - Drink
Chicken Inasal: The Robust Filipino Street Food You Should Know
By HOPE NGO
Some of the most iconic dishes in Filipino cuisine originated as street food, and chicken inasal is one of these dishes., which means "skewered," is a piece of chicken marinated in a combination of spices, sauces, liquid condiments, or even soda, which is then skewered and barbecued over a charcoal grill.
Chicken inasal originated in the 1970s in Bacolod City, as a quick and easy meal for public transport passengers and drivers around the city's commercial hub. Once a food for the masses, inasal hit the restaurant industry with the opening of Manokan Country, a food center where all of the stalls specialize in chicken inasal.
There are many different recipes for chicken insanal, but most marinades start with a combo of calamansi or Philippine lime, pepper, coconut vinegar, and annatto, an extract from the achiote tree. Optional additions include ginger, lemongrass, lemon soda, dark muscovado sugar or Maggi seasoning for a burst of umami.
After marinating for 1 to 3 hours, the chicken is thrown on the grill and basted with a sauce made with annatto oil, margarine, salt, and calamansi or lemon juice. The skewers are served with rice and dipping sauce, with options including soy sauce (patis), vinegar (sinamak), chili peppers (katumbal), calamansi, or chicken oil.