Filipino grilled chicken marinated in calamansi, coconut vinegar, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass, then basted with vibrant red atsuete oil over the fire. The skin turns glossy and smoky while the meat stays juicy, tangy, and deeply aromatic.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 80 ml bottled calamansi juice
- 60 ml coconut vinegar
- 3 pieces fresh lemongrass
- 5 cloves garlic
- 25 g fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 90 ml atsuete oil
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 100 ml neutral cooking oil
- 2 tbsp annatto seeds (atsuete)
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 piece red bird's eye chilies
- 800 g cooked white rice
Method
- Make shallow slashes on the meat side of the chicken thighs, then pat thoroughly with paper towels until the skin is completely dry to the touch.
- Bruise the lemongrass and finely grate the garlic and ginger, then whisk together with the calamansi juice, coconut vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Coat the chicken thoroughly in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate until the meat is deeply infused with the aroma of citrus and lemongrass.
- Bring the chicken to room temperature, drain well, and reserve the marinade; the skin should remain damp but not dripping wet.
- Preheat a grill, ridged grill pan, or barbecue to medium heat; lightly oil the grates once hot and the air above begins to shimmer.
- Place the chicken skin-side down and grill slowly, turning regularly, until the skin takes on rich color without scorching and the rendered fat begins to bead.
- Bring the reserved marinade to a rolling boil until reduced and cooked through, then combine with the atsuete oil and melted butter to baste the chicken during the final stretch of grilling.
- Continue grilling until the chicken is richly glazed, smoky, and cooked through to the bone; rest briefly before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve hot alongside steamed white rice, a drizzle of atsuete oil, and a dipping sauce of soy sauce mixed with calamansi and sliced bird's eye chilies to taste.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 637.2 kcal
- Protein
- 24.87 g
- Carbohydrate
- 34.8 g
- Fat
- 44.15 g
- Fibre
- 1.75 g
- Calcium
- 23.33 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 17.76 mg
