This is Filipino Grilled Chicken. Almost every culture has their own version of grilled chicken. The methods for cooking grilled chicken is generally the same. Charcoal, wood or gas is used to produce the heat for the grill. The grills come in various shapes and sizes, but are generally the same in principle. What makes each recipe different is the unique ingredients in the marinade sauce for the chicken. Filipinos likewise have their own version. It uses ingredients commonly found and used in Philippine cuisine. Enjoy this recipe from all of us at Filipino Chow.
Filipino Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of chicken, cut into pieces
- 1 cup of soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce
- 1 head of garlic, peeled then minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons of lemon or calamansi juice
- 1/2 cup of lemon lime soda
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of lemongrass, dried and ground
- 3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large container or sealable plastic bag.
- Toss and mix the ingredients together until it is well blended and the chicken is thoroughly coated in the marinade.
- Let this marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
- Once the chicken has marinated long enough, start up the charcoal or gas grill.
- If you are using a charcoal grill, only put the charcoal on one side of the grill.
- If you are using a gas grill, only light one side of the gas range (if possible).
- Carefully place the chicken directly over the heat at first.
- Only put enough chicken on the grill to cover the side over the heat.
- Quickly sear one side of the chicken by letting it cook for about a minute over direct heat.
- Then using some tongs, turn it over and do the same for the other side of the chicken.
- Once the chicken has been seared, move it over to the side of the grill without heat underneath it.
- Sear any remaining chicken that hasn't been seared yet, then place it on top of the chicken over the unheated side of the grill (if necessary).
- Make sure that none of the chicken is directly over any heat at this point.
- Put the lid on the grill then let it cook for at least two hours.
- Keep the lid on as much as possible to maintain the heat on the chicken.
- Replenish the wood chips or smoker box a couple times if needed or add more charcoal if the coals begin to expire too soon.
- You may also want to rotate the chicken too if you aren't sure if your grill is heating evenly.
- To check if the meat is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to see if the internal temperature of the meat is at least 165 degrees fahrenheit.
- Alternatively you can use a knife to stab the chicken to the bone at its thickest point. If the juice running out of the chicken is pink or red in color it needs to cook longer.
- After you are sure the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the grill.
- Serve while it's still hot with rice or your choice of side dishes.
Add soaked wood chips on top of the charcoal or in a smoker box for the gas grill just before adding the chicken if you want to add a smokey flavor. Some of the frequently used woods for smoking are hickory, cherry, pecan or mesquite. Don't forget to turn off the gas after you are done if using a gas grill. Or safely dispose of the charcoal still in the grill, if you are using charcoal, as it will stay hot long after you are done grilling.