Filipino tocino has its roots in Spanish Tocino, or bacon. The Filipino version is sweet, cured in annatto, sugar, and salt over the course of days. Even though my favorite silog is dasilog (daing na bangus), I cook tosilog most frequently because of how easy this recipe is. It’s a cheat-code tocino with no additional sugar added. The sweetness comes from the banana ketchup and pineapple. It takes about 5 minutes to combine all of the ingredients before you marinate it overnight, then 20 minutes to reduce the marinade and brown the chicken in a pan. It won’t taste like your classic tocino (probably because it’s missing the yummy sugar and pork fat) but it will satisfy your cravings and be a great go-to meal.
Silog | a portmanteau of the Taglog words for garlic fried rice and egg
Daing na bangus | milkfish marinated in vinegar, pepper, garlic, and salt
Chicken Tocino
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 6 ounces Pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup Banana ketchup
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- Optional: 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp Canola oil
Instructions
- Chop chicken into 1-1.5 inch chunks
- In the container you will marinate the chicken in (I use a glass tupperware) combine remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Add chicken to the marinade. Marinate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat a 12" skillet over medium heat.
- Pour the chicken into the skillet, along with the marinade.
- Boil the chicken in the marinade until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Increase heat to medium high. Add 2 tbsp of canola oil and brown the chicken.
- Once chicken is sufficiently browned, transfer to serving container. Chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yay! I love simple recipes. Eager to try this, Tina! Thanks also for the Filipino food history lesson.