Chicken Inasal (Filipino Citrus‑Garlic Grilled Chicken) — High‑Protein

Name: Chicken Inasal (Filipino Citrus‑Garlic Grilled Chicken) — High‑Protein
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 2 tbsp annatto (atsuete) seeds; 3 tbsp neutral oil; 6 clove garlic; 2 tbsp fresh ginger; 4 tbsp calamansi juice; 3 tbsp cane vinegar; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp annatto oil; 800 g boneless skinless chicken breast; 8 piece wooden skewers; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 2 tbsp green onions; 1 tbsp extra annatto oil

A Filipino grilled chicken marinated in citrus, garlic and annatto oil for color and aroma. Uses boneless chicken breasts so each serving delivers a large, lean protein portion suitable for strength training and meal prep.

50 min

start to finish

25 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

For the annatto (atsuete) oil

2 tbsp annatto (atsuete) seedsor 1 tsp smoked paprika as color substitute
3 tbsp neutral oilvegetable or canola oil

For the marinade

6 clove garlicfinely minced
2 tbsp fresh gingergrated
4 tbsp calamansi juiceor fresh lime juice
3 tbsp cane vinegaror white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauceuse tamari for gluten-free
1 tbsp fish sauceoptional but traditional
2 tbsp brown sugarpacked
½ tsp saltadjust to taste
½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground

3 tbsp annatto oilreserved from annatto oil step
800 g boneless skinless chicken breastabout 4 breasts (~200 g each); halved or pounded to 1/2" thickness
8 piece wooden skewersoptional; soak 15 minutes if using
1 tbsp neutral oilfor oiling grill or skillet

To finish

2 tbsp green onionsthinly sliced for garnish
1 tbsp extra annatto oildrizzle before serving (optional)

Contains soy, fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

370 kcal62g protein6g carbs9g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Make the annatto oil: combine annatto seeds and 3 tbsp neutral oil in a small saucepan and warm gently until the oil takes a deep orange-red color, about 3–5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool slightly, then strain out the seeds and reserve the oil.
If you don't have annatto seeds, stir 1 tsp smoked paprika into the oil after warming for color and a mild smoky note.
Whisk the marinade: in a medium bowl combine minced garlic, grated ginger, calamansi (or lime) juice, cane vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper and 3 tbsp of the reserved annatto oil; stir until the sugar mostly dissolves.
Taste a little of the marinade (diluted on a spoon) and adjust salt or acid to your liking.
Prepare the chicken: halve each chicken breast horizontally or gently pound to an even 1/2" thickness, then pat dry with paper towels.
Even thickness ensures the pieces cook in the same time and stay juicy.
Combine chicken and marinade: place the chicken in a shallow dish or a large zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, press out excess air and turn to coat so the marinade contacts all surfaces.
Rub some marinade into both sides of each piece for best flavor penetration.
Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (preferred) or up to overnight.
For best flavor, marinate 4–8 hours; overnight will deepen the citrus-garlic notes.
If using skewers, thread each marinated breast piece onto a soaked skewer, folding longer pieces so they sit flat.
Skewers make grilling and flipping easier and are traditional for inasal.
Preheat a grill to medium-high or heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or broiler pan in the oven; allow it to come to temperature.
A hot cooking surface gives a good char without overcooking the interior.
Oil the grill grates or skillet with 1 tbsp neutral oil to prevent sticking.
Use a paper towel held with tongs to oil grates safely.
Grill the chicken: place the breasts (or skewers) on the hot grill or skillet and cook for about 12 minutes total, turning and basting with some of the reserved marinade every 3–4 minutes, until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
If the marinade is used for basting, keep a small portion separate before adding raw chicken; do not reuse marinade that contacted raw meat without boiling.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest 5 minutes so juices redistribute.
Resting keeps the meat moist when sliced.
Slice the chicken against the grain, drizzle with a little extra annatto oil if you like, garnish with sliced green onions and serve with steamed rice and a simple salad or grilled vegetables.
Leftovers keep well; cool, refrigerate, and use within 3 days for meal-prep portions.

Worth knowing

To make this gluten-free: substitute tamari for soy sauce and check fish sauce for gluten-free labeling.
Broiler method: broil 6–8" from the heat, flipping once, and baste quickly; watch closely to avoid burning the sugar.
If you want the classic faintly smoky inasal flavor, add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or briefly char the cooked chicken directly over a gas flame for a few seconds per side.
Reserve a small amount of the marinade separately before adding raw chicken if you plan to use it as a sauce; otherwise discard or boil the used marinade for 2–3 minutes.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

High proteinMeal prep

More Filipino cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Filipino cooking, not any restaurant's recipe.