From the recipe collection
Filipino Chicken Barbecue
Bone-in chicken grills over two heat zones with a sweet-savory soy, calamansi, banana-ketchup, brown-sugar, and garlic glaze.
- Prep time
- 15 min plus 4–8 hr marinating
- Cook time
- 35–45 min
- Yield
- 5–6
Get everything ready
Ingredients
Tick ingredients as you prepare.
Method
- Pat the chicken dry. Whisk the soy sauce, calamansi juice, banana ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, and pepper until the sugar dissolves.
- Before the marinade touches raw chicken, transfer 1/3 cup to a clean covered container and refrigerate it for basting. Place the chicken and remaining marinade in a nonreactive container.
- Turn the pieces until coated, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4–8 hours. Do not exceed overnight because the citrus can make the surface soft.
- Prepare a covered grill with medium direct heat on one side and no coals or flame beneath the other, aiming for about 190–205°C. Clean and lightly oil the grate.
- Drain the chicken and discard all marinade that contacted it. Set the pieces skin-side up over indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn and continue grilling indirectly for 15–20 minutes, rotating the pieces every 7–8 minutes for even cooking. Move them farther from the fire whenever dripping fat causes flare-ups.
- During the final 5–8 minutes, brush both sides in thin layers with the untouched reserved marinade. Stop basting at least 3 minutes before removing the chicken, and move it briefly over direct heat for 1–2 minutes per side, just until glossy and lightly charred; return to indirect heat if the sugar blackens.
- Check the thickest part without touching bone; every piece must reach 74°C. Rest for 5 minutes, discard unused basting sauce, and serve with rice and atchara.