Chicken Tocino Recipe

Chicken Tocino Easy Recipe with Pineapple Juice. Filipino Fried rice is an amazing meal to share with friends and family but it is not complete without the delicious Chicken Tocino!

 

Chicken Tocino Easy Recipe with Pineapple Juice

Nothing says “delicious” like Chicken Tocino. It has the right levels of saltiness, sweetness, and fattiness to make it sing. This tasty meat is great on its own but throw it into my signature Filipino Garlic Fried Rice and you have a perfect dish!

What is Chicken Tocino

This traditional Filipino food is a savory sensation. Chicken Tocino is a traditional form of cured chicken made in the Philippines. It is known for its vibrant red color and known for its garlicky, sweet, and savory flavor. It is used similarly to bacon as a meaty addition to fried rice or eggs. Some recipes don’t add pineapple juice to their tocino, but I have been adding pineapple to my recipe. It adds a subtle taste and a gentle, delicious pineapple taste to it, which I like.

 When Chicken Tocino is used in Filipino fried rice the dish is called Sinangag and when it is served aside from fried eggs the dish is known as tosilog.

 What You Will Love About This Chicken Tocino Easy Recipe with Pineapple Juice

• Party Pleaser loves to serve my Filipino Garlic Fried Rice to a crowd and it simply would not be complete without this succulent chicken! Everyone loves warm garlic-infused fried rice but you can pull out all the stops to serve your friends and family a truly beautiful dish with this tasty tocino.
•  Moist and Magical-My recipe for Chicken Tocino is so juicy and flavorful that it will make your mouth water just to smell it! That rich flavor comes from the complex marinade used for this chicken. The marinade works magic to infuse juicy Filipino flavors and also to add irresistible cured flavor to the chicken, but the Instant Pot takes this over the top.

 Using the air fryer attachment for the Instant Pot allows this marinated chicken to fry without losing its flavor or moisture. The air fryer doesn’t use excess oil yet it gives the exterior of the chicken that wonderful crunch flavor you expect from chicken Tocino.

•  Simply Delicious Chicken Tocino is as easy as it gets. The hardest part of this recipe is having to smell the delicious marinade while you wait! The steps of this dish are marinade and cooking. It is that easy to have the best Chicken Tocino for your fried rice!

 Chicken Tocino Ingredients with Pineapple Juice and vinegar

Pineapple Juice and Vinegar add acidity to the chicken marinade. Many different varieties of vinegar exist and several will work very well in this pork. A classic for Asian-style marinades is rice-wine vinegar. It has a nice, mild sweetness that works well in many recipes. Some other great options are apple cider vinegar or easy-to-find white vinegar.

•  Soy sauce-Soy sauce is the perfect way to infuse delightful fermented flavor and saltiness into so many dishes. If you are concerned with your salt intake, don’t worry, just opt for the low-sodium variety of this classic condiment.
•  Brown Sugar- Brown sugar is an excellent ingredient for adding sweetness to marinades because it has the added flavor of molasses to bring some extra warmth. Either light or dark brown sugar will work for this recipe.
•  Kosher Salt or Prague Powder-Prague powder is a unique pink ingredient used during meat processing and it can dramatically extend the shelf life of meat. Prague powder is composed of sodium nitrate and sodium chloride giving it awesome curing characteristics. Look for this pink powder online or in some grocery stores near the salts and other spices. If Prague powder is hard to find, a simple Kosher salt will work to season and cure the pork, but it will not impart any pretty pink color to the meat.
•  Garlic-Minced cloves of garlic help add zest and tantalizing complexity to this marinade. Fresh garlic is great but so are frozen or refrigerated varieties of this botanical.
•  Red Food Coloring-Red food coloring is an optional ingredient, but it gives the chicken its signature irresistible hue. A very small amount is all you will need to make this chicken pop with color!
•  Pineapple Juice- Pineapple juice gives the marinade a bright and tangy sweetness.
•  Chicken Thigh-Pork shoulder or picnic roast is the ideal cut for this recipe. To help the marinade penetrate deep into the meat the chicken or pork shoulder should be scored.

 Chicken Tocino Tools and Utensils

If you are planning to cook this chicken in the Instant Pot you will need the air fryer attachment. If you do not have one do not worry! You can still have delicious chicken  Tocino just follow the directions for stovetop prep instead.

 How to Prepare Chicken Tocino

Make the Tocino Sauce (Marinade)

• Score the meat and place it in a large bowl. Add in all of the Homemade Tocino marinades and mix to coat the meat. Cover the bowl and marinate the meat for three days.

 How to Cook the Chicken Tocino in the Instant Pot Air Fryer:

1. Place the air fryer tray in the Instant Pot base. Spray with nonstick oil. Place the marinated chicken thigh and spray with nonstick oil. Cover using the Instant Pot lid.
2. Set the temperature to 390°F and set the time to six to ten minutes. Turn the meat as required.

 How to Cook the Chicken Tocino on the Stovetop:

1. When ready, heat a small amount of cooking oil and fry the chicken until cooked through. Drain excess oil in the paper towel and set aside.

 Expert Tips and Tricks

• Plan- this recipe requires three days for marination, so plan to prep this on Tuesday for a Friday meal.
• If you are using this chicken with fried rice, use the time it is in the air fryer to prepare the other garnishes, like eggs and tomatoes.

 What to Serve with Chicken Tocino?

Chicken Tocino is perfect when paired with Filipino-style fried rice, Sinangag. That is not the only place this chicken is delicious, though! Try this yummy chicken for breakfast anytime with fried eggs or as a super interesting taco meat.

 Refer to my Fried Rice Recipe to see how to put together a perfect fried rice board!

 When to Enjoy Chicken Tocino?

This luscious chicken dish is great at any time! My favorite thing about chicken Tocino is that it makes a beautiful addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a great make-ahead meal to keep as your protein for the week’s meals or to pair with rice as the perfect party-pleasing rice dish!

 Can I Store Leftover Chicken Tocino?

Yes, leftover Chicken Tocino can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container.  Cold Chicken Tocino makes a tasty, bite-sized snack, but it can be reheated easily just follow these steps:

 Reheat on The Stovetop:

1. Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Add a drizzle of neutral oil or butter to the pan then add the desired amount of marinated chicken.
2. Heat the chicken flipping occasionally until fully reheated.

 Reheat in the Microwave:

1. Place the desired amount of chicken in a microwave-safe container and cover loosely with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel.
2. Heat in the microwave at standard settings for 1-2 minutes.

How do you freeze Uncooked Chicken Tocino Easy Recipe with Pineapple Juice

You can freeze Chicken Tocino, so you can cure a huge batch of them and freeze.

1. Make the Tocino sauce and mix them. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the Tocino marinade. Mix until the meat is well-coated.
2. Place the meat in a Ziploc and put it in the freezer. Release the air out and freeze. You can freeze chicken Tocino for six months.
3. Thaw in the fridge before cooking.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Everyone loves comfort food and I love cooking comforting dishes like fried rice with Chicke  Tocino for groups of friends. Food can open up so many doors and connect people from all backgrounds over a delicious plate.

 If you want to try more tasty and comforting recipes for entertaining give these a shot:

• Instant Pot Pork and Shrimp Dumplings
• Breakfast Charcuterie Board
• Filipino Chicken Adobo (Just like Mother Made)
• Best Ever Sticky Slow-Cooked Asian Ribs
• Crockpot Cheese Broccoli Soup