Chicken BBQ

This is a childhood favorite. My family would always go to Aristocrat Restaurant along Roxas Boulevard and order this. Then when I was in college and doing my internship at different hospitals in the provinces and we pass by Roxas Boulevard, we make sure to drop by the restaurant to have our bbq fix. This is one of the food that reminds me of my dad who likes to bbq whenever he can.

Now that I have kids, at least my daughter loved this dish instantly. My son, not so much as he’s not into chicken with bones. My husband calls it Hawaiian chicken. Whatever it’s called for them, for me it’s my childhood bbq chicken. Best served with java rice, and atsara. Some like it with the peanut sauce, I prefer to dip it in banana ketchup.

Look for the recipe of my java rice and maybe atsara too. 🙂

Yield: 5

Marinade:

1 cup banana ketchup

1 cup soy sauce

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 can lemon flavored soda

3 tbsp lemon juice or calamansi or white vinegar

½ cup sugar

1 head minced garlic

1 tsp ground black pepper

Barbecue:

10 pcs dark meat of chicken

Peanut Sauce:

1 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Score chicken then marinate it for 6-8 hours (much better if overnight). Keep it in the fridge while marinating.
3. After marinating, drain the chicken from the marinade and keep it to room temperature for about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to reserve the mixture for basting.
4. While waiting, prepare the basting sauce. In a saucepan, dilute cornstarch in cold water. Whisk until free of lumps then mix with oil and reserved marinade. Simmer until it thickens.
5. Grill the chicken. Keep turning to prevent it from burning.
6. When chicken is almost cooked, start basting it with the thickened marinade.
7. Keep grilling until the chicken is cooked with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until the juices coming out is already clear (not bloody). I usually cut through the thickest part of the chicken to check this.
8. For the peanut sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer until sauce becomes slightly thick. Take off the heat. Sauce will thicken more as it cools.
9. Serve with Java Rice.