Satisfy your cravings with this authentic veggie chicken inasal recipe with all the savory flavor you remember from the real inasal, but without the cholesterol!
What is Inasal?
Veggie chicken inasal is a meatless version of the well-known grilled chicken inasal recipe from Bacolod City, Philippines. Traditional inasal is marinated in coconut vinegar, calamansi juice, stalk lemongrass, and garlic, then brushed with annatto oil to achieve its signature orange color.
The veggie version uses the same bold flavors but replaces the meat with options like soy protein, seitan, or mushrooms (veggie duck protein meat).
This plant-based option gives you the same rich, smoky flavor, but in a lighter way. It has fewer calories than the real meat version, is minus cholesterol, is gentler on your stomach, and will suit your taste buds; and more than that, it is full of antioxidants that boost your health.
Substitutions
- Coconut vinegar: Swap with white vinegar, cane vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
- Calamansi juice: Use lemon juice or lime juice, or even a mix of both.
- Veggie chicken: Use tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms (such as oyster or king oyster) for a whole-food, plant-based version.
- Annatto oil: If you don’t have it, use paprika oil to get the same red color and mild flavor.
- Soy sauce: For a gluten-free option, use tamari or liquid aminos.
For a spicy, fresh chicken, add some peppers or lemon juice to the liquid mix. While cooking, brush the meat with plenty of lemongrass for a great smell and use red seed oil to give it a bright color.
Variations
- Tofu Inasal: Use extra firm tofu. Squeeze out the extra water, then slice it into thick pieces. Marinate and grill or pan-fry until crispy.
- Mushroom Inasal: Grilled oyster or king oyster mushrooms make a meaty, juicy alternative.
- Air-fryer Inasal: Air-fry the skewers at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway, for a healthier option.
- Inasal Rice Bowl: Serve chopped grilled inasal over garlic rice with atchara, chili sawsawan, and blanched vegetables.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftover grilled vegan chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze uncooked marinated “chicken” for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge before grilling.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a bit of oil, or microwave in short bursts with a cover to retain moisture.
- Leftover idea: Chop grilled leftovers and use them in wraps, stir-fries, or as a topping for garlic fried rice!
Ingredients
These are the ingredients that you will need:
- veggie duck protein meat (you can also use canned or fresh mock duck)
- garlic
- red onion
- ginger
- peppercorn
- brown sugar
- coconut vinegar
- soy sauce
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the veggie chicken with sliced onions, garlic cloves, sliced ginger, peppercorns, brown sugar, soy sauce, and coconut vinegar.
Stir the mixture well. Marinate for 45 minutes to 1 hour for best results.
Remove the veggie chicken from the marinade. Put the veggie chicken pieces onto the wooden sticks and set aside.
To the leftover marinade, add vegetable oil and mix well; this will be your dipping sauce.
Heat your charcoal grill or gas grill to high heat and lightly grease the grate.
Place the skewered chicken on the grill and baste it regularly with the marinade using your lemongrass brush.
Grill for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the outside is lightly browned and the inside parts are heated through.
If you use veggie chicken made from soy or wheat, make sure it reaches 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer so it is safe to eat.
⭐ Top Tip
Brush on generous amounts of homemade annatto-garlic oil over high heat to achieve those signature smoky, charred edges, keeping the inside tender and juicy.
FAQ
Veggie Chicken Inasal
Ingredients
- 150 grams veggie duck protein meat sliced in half
- 1 whole garlic minced
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon peppercorn
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ cup organic coconut vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the veggie chicken to the bowl. Next, add garlic, onion, ginger, peppercorns, brown sugar, coconut vinegar, and soy sauce, and mix until well combined. Marinate for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove veggie chicken from the marinade mixture, then thread the chicken onto the wooden skewers and set aside.
- Next, add oil to the marinade mixture and mix until well combined.
- Heat the grill to medium-high and grease lightly with oil. Or, if using a charcoal grill, prepare accordingly & add a small amount of charcoal; too much charcoal might burn the meat.
- Place veggie chicken inasal on the grill and brush it with the marinade mixture.
- Continually brush the veggie chicken inasal with the marinade mixture while grilling the veggie chicken inasal for about 10-15 minutes or until it turns dark reddish-brown.
- Best served immediately.
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Mia says
yummy!! I couldn't find the exact vegemeat, but the flavoring was phenomenal!
Queenie says
This is amazing! I'm excited to try this veggie chicken inasal recipe soon.
Elie W says
Lainey! where did you get the veggie meat from? It looks so real!