Chicken inasal, commonly known simply as inasal, is a variant of the Filipino chicken dish known as lechon manok. Chicken inasal is a grilled chicken part, typically the breast (Pecho) or leg (Paa), while a lechon manok is a stuffed whole chicken. It is chicken marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto, then grilled over hot coals while basted with the marinade. It is served with rice, calamansi, soy sauce, chicken oil and vinegar (often sinamak vinegar, a palm vinegar infused with garlic, chili peppers and langkawas).
 Chicken inasal served with sinangag | |
| Alternative names | Hiligaynon: Inasal nga manok |
|---|---|
| Course | main course |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Region or state | Western Visayas |
| Serving temperature | hot |
| Main ingredients | chicken, lime, pepper, vinegar and annatto |
| Similar dishes | Inihaw |
There are two popular versions of chicken inasal: the Bacolod and the Iloilo. The usual difference between them is that Bacolod's inasal has a slightly sour base flavor, while Iloilo's has a sweeter flavor, because of the addition of lechon sauce.[1]
Origin
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One of the earliest documentations of chicken inasal was by Felix Laureano in his photo book, Recuerdos de Filipinas, which describes the daily lives and culture of Iloilo and Panay. The book published in 1895 in Madrid, Spain, listed inihao nga manuc as one of the items sold in the photo of a Calenderia, a store that sells food. Inihao nga manuc was described as pollo asado, Spanish for grilled or roasted chicken, which is now popularly known as chicken inasal.[2]
Banoy Velez from Oton, Iloilo, who started Velez Inasal, claimed to have introduced chicken inasal in Bacolod in 1946. The chicken inasal became widely popular in the 1970s on Bacolod's Cuadra Street (Chicken Alley).[3]
Bacolod Chicken Inasal
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Chicken inasal is a common dish in the Visayas, and is a popular specialty in the city of Bacolod, where an entire street market is dedicated to local dishes, particularly inasal. A sign in the heart of the market reads "Manokan Country" (literally "Chicken Country" in Hiligaynon).[4]
Declarations
editChicken inasal was declared a locally important cultural property of Bacolod on November 16, 2022.[3] On October 31, 2023, Iloilo City was recognized as UNESCO’s Creative City of Gastronomy. Iloilo listed chicken inasal as one of its food offerings.[5]In October 2024, TasteAtlas listed Bacolod chicken inasal as the best of 100 Filipino foods.[6]
Popular restaurants
editAmong the popular restaurants serving chicken inasal are Bacolod Chicken Inasal, started by the Tanalgo sisters in Mandaluyong, Mang Inasal, started by Edgar Sia in Iloilo City in 2003, Aida's Manokan in Bacolod City, Nena's Beth at Manokan Country in Bacolod, Island Chicken Inasal in Bulabog, Balay Dako in Tagaytay, and Barrio Inasal in Iloilo City.[7]
Mang Inasal is the largest restaurant chain serving chicken inasal, with over 600 stores in the Philippines.[8]
See also
editExternal links
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Media related to Chicken inasal at Wikimedia Commons
References
edit- ^ "4 spots to satisfy your chicken inasal craving in Manila". Lifestyle.INQ. February 5, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Laureano, Felix (1895). Recuerdos de Filipinas (in Spanish). Barcelona. pp. 44–45.
en: a pavilion or kiosk made of bamboo with a nipa roof and walls selling "inihao nga manuc" or "pollo asado"
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b Guardian, Daily (November 27, 2022). "Bacolod inasal declared as Important Cultural Property". Daily Guardian. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ "Manokan Country". Unofficial Guide, Philippines. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
- ^ "55 new cities join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on World Cities Day". Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ Villegas, Mary (October 18, 2024). "Chicken inasal named best Filipino dish". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ Licsi, Aye (October 20, 2024). "Chicken inasal emerges as best Filipino food in TasteAtlas ranking". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ "Countdown to 600: Mang Inasal opens three more stores in Visayas and Mindanao". www.manginasal.ph. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
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